Doorstep Angel
by JulieM
Summary: Mac gets a visitor on Christmas Day...COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

Summary: Mac gets a visitor on Christmas day…

Disclaimer: JAG and its main characters belong to DPB and to CBS. I don't make any profit from writing any of these fics, but simply get to exercise my overactive imagination every now and then. Please don't sue me, as I'm just a student with no money!

Rating: M.

Category: H/M shipper.

Spoilers: Not really. Set sometime after the arrival of the Roberts twins. Mattie isn't really mentioned, so disregard her character. The idea just worked better without her around.

Part 1…

Light snow fell on the greater DC area during the early hours of Christmas day. Because she didn't have anything else to do that day, apart from her afternoon call to her Uncle Matt, Mac decided to just stay in bed later than she normally would. But as her ever efficient nature usually predicted, her legs became twitchy and her mood impatient before too long. But what did she have to be impatient about? She had no plans with anyone, she had seen all of her friends at a Christmas party the night before, had given out all of the gifts she had bought for them. Why wouldn't her mind let her take a morning off?

"Argh! It's no use," she thought to herself, "Got to get up…"

Mac had no idea what, but she had to do something. Visiting her friends at this hour was out of the question. They would be spending important time with their families; something that she would never dare encroach upon. Without any other ideas in mind, she hopped into the shower anyway. Seven minutes and thirteen seconds later, she emerged, wrapped in a towel. Opening the wardrobe door to pick out something to wear, she caught sight of her gym bag and inspiration struck…

"That's it!" she smiled in satisfaction, "A couple of hours on a treadmill, with a punch-bag and finishing up in the steam-room should banish all of this angst."

Once dressed and with her gym bag, Mac headed out. Grabbing her purse and keys, she switched on her answer machine before heading for the front door. With her own voice, her message on the answer machine, ringing in her ears, she yanked open the front door and stepped out into the hallway. But this is where Sarah MacKenzie's semi-routine day ended. At first she didn't recognise the small figure on the floor for what it was. She thought that her eyes must be playing tricks on her. After standing stock-still for a full minute, Mac determined that, yes, this little bundle of clothes on the floor did indeed seem to be a child. It was the rosy little cheeks that gave the game away. The little body was swamped in warm clothes; the head in a woollen hat, the neck and face in a thick scarf and the rest of the body in a warm duffel coat and quilted blanket. But there was no mistaking the blond, delicate lashes that rested on the pale but none-the-less vibrant skin. Unsure of what to do first, Mac looked right and then left, looking for any apartment with a door open. She couldn't even hear, let alone see anything, nothing to indicate that anybody had noticed that their child was missing. Slowly, she took a few steps closer, then stooped down to the little figure slumped peacefully against the wall. Even from where she had been standing, she had seen the gentle rise and fall of the tiny chest beneath the blanket. In that moment, a maternal instinct took over within Mac. She gently tickled one of the soft cheeks with her gloved hand and this proved sufficient to rouse the sleeping little stranger. The light lashes fluttered open and the sleepy, blue eyes regarded her, non-chalantly.

"Hello there," she greeted the child, softly, "What are you doing here?"

The child didn't answer and Mac silently appraised that he or she was probably only about three or four years old.

"Did you wander away from home, sweetheart?" Mac persisted, "Somebody's bound to be missing you, right now."

"Home…" the child suddenly spoke up, out of the blue.

"Yeah, that's right," Mac gently lifted the child into her arms, "Let's get you back home…"

The next half-hour was spent knocking on the doors of all of her neighbours. The best hope that she got was when she came upon a large family just leaving home to go visiting.

"Uh…Nobody here is missing a child, are they?" she asked, hopefully.

Everyone checked their children were present, turning back to Mac and shaking their heads in the negative.

"I take it the child isn't yours," a little old lady, presumably the family's Granny, asked.

"No…" Mac regarded the child, "Um…"

She pulled the woollen hat off the child's head to discover a head of white-blond hair, cut in a little boy's style.

"I just found him sleeping in the hallway outside my apartment…"

After a fruitless search, Mac gave up with a sigh.

"Oh, well," she conceded to the child, "I guess that we'd better get you inside and get you something to eat and drink."

Once back in her apartment, Mac set about divesting him of his winter woollens, because her place was quite warm.

"There we go," she eased him out of his coat, "That's better, isn't it?"

The boy was dressed in a pair of worn blue denim jeans and a tatty grey sweater. Second or third hand, Mac supposed. But his sneakers looked good quality, she noted. How strange! Now that she could get a good look at him, she concluded that the boy was probably actually around four, although he was on the small side. His peaceful blue eyes regarded her, silently, taking in everything he saw, no doubt.

Mac suddenly had a thought and checked in the little boy's pockets but found nothing. Next, she checked in the blanket that had been outside, but again found nothing. At last, she made some headway when she checked the pockets of his coat and her fingers closed around a folded sheet of paper. Her heart pounding, she pulled it out and unfolded it.

Lines of small, well-penned writing greeted her.

"Dear Colonel,

I know enough about you to know that you are a well-respected person with a fondness for children. I have seen you with that little boy who I am told is your godson. Please believe that I wouldn't ever consider leaving my son unless I thought that it was the best thing for him. I love my son more than life itself and this is why I must give him up, so that he will have a chance at a better life. Please cherish my son as your own; he is yours, now. Please give him the happy life that he deserves. That is my greatest wish in the world. His name is Calum."

Mac let out a deep breath, her mind-boggling. She looked up and locked eyes with the little boy still watching her.

"The poor little mite," she thought, her heart bleeding for him. The irony of the situation was not lost to Mac. How strange that this should be happening to her, when her own mother had walked out on her.

"Hey there, Calum," she spoke up, "How about we get you something to eat?"

The little boy took the hand she offered him and followed her into the kitchen. Once he was finally settled with his cheese-spread sandwiches and his apple juice, Mac picked up the phone, to call the police. Frustratingly, she was told to contact social services, which she did, only to be told that nobody was available that day and to call back the next day.

"Fat lot of help they were," she muttered to herself, putting the phone down.

Calum just regarded her, from the carpet where he was quietly munching on a sandwich.

"What are we going to do now?" she asked, herself more than the little boy.

She picked up the phone again and called Harm, but found that he was out.

"Uh, hey Harm…just wanted to ask your advice on something…never mind, just give me a call back once you get this message. Bye…"

Mac put the phone back in its cradle again and gave another sigh.

"Oh well, I guess it's just you and me, buddy."

She got no answer from Calum.

Mac was suddenly struck by a thought.

"Oh!" she uttered, then pondered to herself…

"Hey," she told the child, softly, "If you need to go potty, you just tell me, okay?"

The little boy nodded his head and continued munching his sandwich.

"Well, that's one thing taken care of…"

After that, Mac set about 'baby-proofing' the rest of her apartment.

She had never really thought about it, because she always went to Bud and Harriet's house to take care of their children and there were never really any kids in her house…not until now, that is! While she was sorting out the kitchen, moving everything hazardous out of a child's reach, she kept checking on Calum in the living room, but the little boy stayed sitting where he was, behaving as good as gold. Mac was feeling quite proud of the remarkable job she had managed to do, despite her lack of experience with children, when her doorbell sounded. She hurried to answer it and first looked through the peep-hole, to discover it was Harm.


	2. Chapter 2

From part 1…

After that, Mac set about 'baby-proofing' the rest of her apartment.

She had never really thought about it, because she always went to Bud and Harriet's house to take care of their children and there were never really any kids in her house…not until now, that is! While she was sorting out the kitchen, moving everything hazardous out of a child's reach, she kept checking on Calum in the living room, but the little boy stayed sitting where he was, behaving as good as gold. Mac was feeling quite proud of the remarkable job she had managed to do, despite her lack of experience with children, when her doorbell sounded. She hurried to answer it and first looked through the peep-hole, to discover it was Harm.

Part 2…

"So that's why he's not at home," she noted, silently.

"Hey Mac," Harm greeted her, "Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas, Harm," she returned the sentiment with a smile, as she hugged her friend, co-worker and, maybe someday, something a little bit more, "What brings you here on Christmas morning?"

"Well," he told her, "I just remembered that you said that you didn't have any plans…"

"Well, I don't," Mac hesitated, "Not exactly…"

"I hear a 'but' coming…"

"It's not a 'but,' no…but…"

"See," Harm just shook his head, slightly embarrassed, "Look, if you're busy, that's fine…"

"I am busy, but you can stay," Mac protested, "I would like it if you stayed…I'm sure that my guest, Calum, would like it too."

"Oh!" Harm uttered, "You have company?"

"Yes, but not in the way you think. He's a bit of a surprise, one not in the least planned, either. Please, come in."

Harm finally relented and stepped inside, Mac taking his coat from him. Leading him into the living room, Mac introduced, "Harm, I'd like you to meet Calum…"

Harm looked at the little boy, eyes wide. After glancing at Mac, questioningly, he moved forward and crouched down to the child.

"Hey there, little one! What brings you to Aunty Mac on Christmas day?"

"Well, in answer to that question…I really don't know why he's here…"

"Who's his Mom?" Harm asked, "How long is he going to be with you?"

"I don't know…You might say I found an angel on my doorstep, this morning," Mac told him.

Harm's head shot round and he looked at her, disbelieving.

"He was just there, when I opened the door, this morning…"

"No way!" Harm looked at her incredulously, "You mean you just found him there, on his own?"

"Uh-huh," Mac nodded, "He was just sitting, leaned against the wall, fast asleep."

After that, Mac showed Harm the letter she had found in Calum's coat pocket.

"Wow, Mac," he commented, "This person seems to know a bit about you. Have you tried talking to your neighbours?"

"Nobody recognised him," Mac told him, "His Mom must have brought him by pretty early. I had found him by eight…Who knows, perhaps he was out there all night…I never heard him, though. But he is a quiet little thing…"

Just then, the little boy stood and made his way over to them.

"Mommy…" he told Mac, "…go pee-pee…"

"Huh!" Mac glanced at Harm, "That's the first time that he's called me _that_…"

Mac took Calum by the hand and quickly guided him to the bathroom. Harm tagged along as far as the door, asking, uncertainly, "Do you think that you can handle this by yourself…or do you want me to…umm, help out…"

"Uh, we should be okay, thanks," Mac told him.

Although it had been a while since little AJ was at this age, Calum's problem was addressed without bother and Mac carried the boy back through to the living room where Harm was waiting for them.

"Do you reckon that he's completely toilet trained?" Mac asked, "I mean, even though little AJ was at his age, every child is different and since he's someplace new…plus, AJ still had the occasional accident at night…"

"Maybe it would be wise to take a few precautions," Harm nodded, "So you need to go to a supermarket?"

"Hang on a minute," Mac replied, as she picked up the phone, "I've got a good idea.

She punched in 'speed-dial 2' for the Roberts' home.

After explaining the problem to Harriet, Mac picked up a pen and notepad and began noting down all of the suggestions that Harriet made for things Calum might need. After this, Harm, Mac and Calum headed out, looking for a big superstore, where they would find everything on the list they would need.

Three hours and a lot of money later, they had finally got to the checkout, paid for everything, including a booster seat for Calum, for in the car.

"Now this is where an SUV comes in handy," Harm commented, as everything was being stored in the trunk, "Lots of space for groceries and practical and safe when it comes to carting kids around."

"Uh-huh," Mac replied to him, sceptically, "Well, I still love my 'vette."

"Who wouldn't?" Harm conceded, "It's a 'vette. But for the next while, you're going to need something a bit more practical. Do you fancy trading cars for a while, until everything's…sorted out?"

"Oh-ho!" Mac laughed, loudly, "I knew that you were going to find a way to get your hands on my 'vette!"

Calum broke out into a broad grin when he saw Mac smile and reached out to her, from his place in the child-seat of the shopping cart Mac moved to make contact with him and reassure him, but carried on talking to Harm, at the same time.

Across the parking lot, a mature woman who had just parked her car paused momentarily and smiled at the scene. It reminded her of when she and her now deceased husband used to spend the weekends shopping with their first child. After the other two came along, it became too much of an ordeal, but she had fond memories of that early-day family routine, especially around the anniversary of her husband's passing.

"I hope they have just as many happy years as a family as we did," she quietly bid Harm and Mac then carried on her way.

"Hey," Harm meanwhile objected to Mac's accusation, "I'm just trying to do you a favour…but if you don't want it, just say so. You can't move a baby about in a corvette, in the middle of winter…"

"Toddler," Mac corrected him, "And yes, I know that a corvette isn't suitable…so thank you, Harm. I appreciate the offer and I will take you up on it."

"Good," Harm replied with a surprisingly mature attitude.

But he couldn't help but add, "I'm gonna be driving a 'vette again!" to which Mac laughed aloud.

When they got home, they were surprised to find the Roberts family on their doorstep.

"Oh, hi guys!" Mac chirped, "Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas, Ma'am!" Bud replied, "Let me help you guys with some of those bags…"

"Merry Christmas, Mac, Harm," Harriet moved to hug first Mac, then Harm then looked at the little boy with them, "I guess this must be Calum?"

"That's right," Mac told her then told the little boy, "sweetie, this is Aunty Harriet and Uncle Bud…"

"He's a cute little fella," Bud remarked then turned to his oldest son, "AJ, this is Calum, come and say hello."

The young boy dutifully came over and did so, without it coming into his head why his Godmother would suddenly have acquired a child. They seemed to get on well, despite the fact that Calum was so quiet, little AJ was quite happy to talk away to him without the little boy saying anything back.

Once they were inside, Harriet followed Mac into the kitchen and they unpacked all of the shopping.

"So, where are Jimmy and the twins?" Mac asked her.

"They're with my parents and Mikey," Harriet revealed, "I just couldn't pull Jimmy away from his Christmas presents. Bud and I thought that, apart from the little visit from your Godson, you might have some questions regarding Calum that we could help you with."

"Do I ever!" Mac exclaimed, "Taking care of a little boy is so different from taking care of a little girl. I mean, I probably don't have to tell you that, you've got three of them."

"Yes, indeed," Harriet agreed.

"But if Calum was a girl, I could at least draw on the memories of being a little girl."

Harriet and Mac continued to chat as they walked through to the living room, to where Harm and Bud had retreated with the children, a few minutes before. Now, little AJ was sitting on his father's knee, while Calum was sitting on Harm's.

"Daddy," Calum suddenly spoke up "… go pee-pee…"

"Mac," Harm called, "I think we're going to have to explain something to him…"

"I know, but first things first," Mac took the boy from Harm's knee.

"Mommy…" Calum announced again, threading his arms around Mac's neck and cuddling in.

"Where did that come from?" Harriet asked as she followed Mac first into the kitchen to grab one of the bags, then into the bathroom.

"I have no idea," Mac told her, "He just came up with it this morning. And he's never called Harm 'Daddy' before now."

Mac pulled a little footstool out of the bag and kicked a little wicker linen basket that she had been using as a substitute out of the way. She lifted Calum up onto the footstool and helped him down with his jeans and underpants.

"Mac, if I can just make a suggestion?" Harriet interjected, "you two might have fewer problems if you just try this…"

In the living room, Harm and Bud were having a quiet discussion.

"So he was just sitting there when the Colonel went to leave, this morning?"

"That's right, Bud," Harm nodded, "Right opposite her door, fast asleep…"

"Uncle Harm?" his Godchild suddenly spoke up, from where he was sitting on the carpet, "Is Calum Aunty Mac's little boy?"

"No, son," Bud told him, "Aunty Mac is just looking after him."

"Then is he your boy, Uncle Harm?"

"No, I'm just helping Aunty Mac out today, AJ," Harm told the boy.

"Then why did he call her Mommy and call you Daddy?"

"He was just getting mixed up, that's all. He's still very little."

"So Aunty Mac isn't going to keep him?"

"No, son," Bud told him, "Calum's going to go back to his Mom."

After a pause, where little AJ went back to his toy cars, Harm added, quietly, only for

Bud's hearing, "If we can find his Mom…otherwise, I think he might go into a care home."

"Oh, Sir, that's terrible," Bud frowned, "It just doesn't bear thinking about…"

Bud halted what he was saying as Mac and Harriet came back through with Calum.

"What doesn't bear thinking about?" Mac asked Bud, curiously.

For a second, Bud got the whole 'deer in headlights' look, so Harm quickly jumped in.

"That these case reviews will last any longer than they already have…"

Mac just gave him a funny look.

Why was Harm talking about case reviews on Christmas day?

"Can you put the work aside for one day, Harm? I don't know you, flyboy! It's just not healthy to live your work in your home-time, ya know?"

Harm and Bud were glad when she left it at that and went to set Calum down on the floor beside AJ again.

"Hey!" Harm exclaimed, looking at Calum, "Are those pull-ups, buddy? Those look cool!"

The little boy looked down towards his pull-ups then looked at Harm giving him a cheeky grin. Then he toddled over to where Harm was and fastened his arms around his leg. Because his jeans were too big for him, the waistband of his pull-up pants was clearly visible.

Harm lifted the boy back onto his knee.

"Wow!" Harm continued, "Look at that! They've got a rocket and little stars and planets on them. They never sold anything like this when I was little, just the plain old terry-cloth ones."

"They've got an amazing amount available for children, these days," Harriet informed him.

"They sure have…" Mac agreed, taking a seat on the couch beside Harm. Calum noticed her as well and twisted around, reaching out for her.

"Mommy…" he pleaded, his little hands performing a little 'give-me' gesture.

Mac sighed, "He's really getting stuck on this Mommy idea…Aunty Mac, sweetie. You call me 'Aunty Mac'."

Calum just looked at her, blankly.

"Aunty Mac," she repeated, gently, putting a hand to her chest, "I'm Aunty Mac."

"Mom…mee?" Calum uttered, unsurely.

"No, Aunty Mac…"

Mac turned to gesture to Harm.

"Uncle Harm…"

Then to Bud and Harriet.

"Uncle Bud, Aunty Harriet…"

Then again to herself.

"Aunty Mac…"

Little Calum at first seemed confused, then started to get upset. His little mouth pouted, his little lower lip began to quiver and his eyes got teary. Mac drew in a breath, sensing impending disaster. Calum drew in a shuddering breath and emitted a timorous, "Mommy?"

"Yeah," Mac gave in, pulling him into a warm, comforting hug, "yeah, that's right…"

"Well," she conceded, looking over Calum at everyone else's pitying looks, "That went well…"


	3. Chapter 3

From part 2…

Calum noticed her as well and twisted around, reaching out for her.

"Mommy…" he pleaded, his little hands performing a little 'give-me' gesture.

Mac sighed, "He's really getting stuck on this Mommy idea…Aunty Mac, sweetie. You call me 'Aunty Mac'."

Calum just looked at her, blankly.

"Aunty Mac," she repeated, gently, putting a hand to her chest, "I'm Aunty Mac."

"Mom…mee?" Calum uttered, unsurely.

"No, Aunty Mac…"

Mac turned to gesture to Harm.

"Uncle Harm…"

Then to Bud and Harriet.

"Uncle Bud, Aunty Harriet…"

Then again to herself.

"Aunty Mac…"

Little Calum at first seemed confused, then started to get upset. His little mouth pouted, his little lower lip began to quiver and his eyes got teary. Mac drew in a breath, sensing impending disaster. Calum drew in a shuddering breath and emitted a timorous, "Mommy?"

"Yeah," Mac gave in, pulling him into a warm, comforting hug, "yeah, that's right…"

"Well," she conceded, looking over Calum at everyone else's pitying looks, "That went well…"

Part 3…

An hour later, Bud, Harriet and AJ got up to go, so Mac went to get up too, to walk them out.

"Uh," she hesitated, having difficulty now that Calum was fast asleep against her shoulder.

"Okay…just give me a second…"

She managed to carefully ease off the couch then settle Calum back on it, without waking him. Everyone waited patiently while she fixed pillows around him, so that he wouldn't roll off.

"Whew!" Mac breathed, "Everything takes so much longer with a toddler. I forgot what it was like with AJ…"

"You're doing a really well, Ma'am," Bud complemented.

"Yes, Mac," Harriet agreed, "You're very good with him."

"Goodnight, Ma'am," Bud was the last out of the door.

"Thanks for all of your help…Bye…" Mac waved.

"So, I take it you don't have any plans for tonight?" Harm mentioned.

"Nope, not that I did before Calum appeared, though," Mac admitted, "You?"

"Just a quiet night in, I guess," he told her.

"You want to stay for dinner or something?" Mac asked, "I can't promise that it'll be anything spectacular…"

"Yeah, okay," Harm nodded, "Sounds great, anyway."

Harm and Mac ordered in for dinner and once Calum woke from his nap, he even had some. Mac had just thrown the bits and ends together for him, because she really didn't have any good idea about what children liked to eat (apart from junk food, which she wasn't about to give him.) She and Harm were astonished when Calum tackled the vegetables on his plate, first.

"Mac," Harm's mouth fell open, "The child is eating a vegetable!"

"He is!" Mac grinned in amazement, "He's a stickboy in the making!"

"Hey!" Harm protested, "Some of us just like the healthy stuff, okay?"

Mac just smiled as she watched the little boy chow down.

"That's my boy!"

It's bath time, I think," Mac announced, a little while later.

"Oh, great!" Harm joked, "Do we have any bubble-bath? I love lots of bubbles!"

"Not you, silly," Mac told him off, smiling, "I meant this little guy here. You can join us, if you want…"

Harm's eyebrows shot up and the image of her lovely form in a bathtub, surrounded in bubbles, while they were in Paraguay jumped into his head.

"…but Calum's going to be the only one in the tub," Mac hastily added.

Once Mac had got Calum into his bath, Harm joined them, sitting on the floor beside the tub. Suddenly, he reached over and dropped something into the water. Looking over the rim, Mac saw a little, plastic boat, floating on the water.

"Where did that come from?" she asked.

"From the shopping," Harm told her.

"I never saw it."

"I sneaked it in."

"You sneaky squid!"

She turned to Calum.

"I notice you never told me…you boys!"

Calum just happily continued splashing his toy boat through the water.

"He never saw it," Harm explained, "I couldn't have shown it to him, or he would have wanted it straight away."

"Hmm…" Mac pretended to brood over it.

"It's a shame that they didn't have any toy airplanes," Harm continued to ponder.

"For the bath tub?" Mac frowned, "Airplanes don't go in the water."

"Mine do!" Harm laughed, jokingly and Mac laughed and slapped his arm, playfully.

"Okay, let's get you clean," she decided, lifting Calum to standing, "It's getting near to your bedtime…"

In truth, she didn't know what his bedtime should be, she'd forgotten to ask Harriet that.

Mac got a sponge and the bath wash and started to wet Calum down.

"Could you give me a hand?" she asked Harm, "I'm worried that he'll slip…"

Harm joined her, perched on the rim of the bath. Mac was washing Calum down with the sponge in one hand, so could only get one arm around him to support him. His skin was soapy, so Harm held him under the arms.

"That better?" he asked.

"Yeah, thanks," Mac told him, " He's just so wobbly!" Even though the two of them were holding him and Mac was gentle while washing him, Calum was still wobbling all over the place and it was making Harm and Mac laugh. Once they were finished, they rinsed him off and Harm set out the big bath towel on the floor. Mac lifted him out onto it and began to brusquely rub him down, drying him off.

"I love that baby smell!" she commented, breathing in the smell drifting off the little boy in waves.

"Yeah," Harm agreed.

As they were walking into the bedroom, to get Calum dressed, Harm commented, "Oh, by the way, how's your Uncle Matt doing? Did you speak to him today?"

Mac's mouth fell open.

"Oh, sh…" she quickly corrected herself, "shoot! I forgot to call him…I wonder if they'll still be allowing calls…"

"It's not too late," Harm told her, "Here, pass Calum to me, I'm sure I can manage to get him sorted. You go and call your Uncle."

"You sure?" Mac checked and when Harm nodded, she passed Calum to him.

"Thanks, Harm. His pyjamas are in the bag by the bed and his pull-ups are on the counter-top by the sink in the bathroom."

By the time that she had returned from her phone call, Harm already had Calum tucked up in bed and fast asleep. She stood in the doorway for a minute, admiring the sight of Harm's protective figure sitting on the side of the bed, just watching over the little boy.

"In another lifetime, maybe," Mac finally dismissed, pulling herself out of her reverie.

"Isn't he precious?" she asked Harm, who wasn't really too surprised by her sudden appearance. Truth be told, he kind of wanted to share this moment with her, so he had waited for her return as long as he had dared.

"He's a beautiful kid," he agreed with Mac's assessment, softly stroking the white-blond wisps of hair from around Calum's face.

"I know that I'm the last person who should ask this, my own mother left me a long time ago and I guess I've come to terms with it…but how could you leave your child?" Mac pondered aloud, "I know it had to be something serious, but look at him. He looks so helpless and defenceless…If…"

"Hmm?" Harm urged her, "Go on. 'If' what?"

"I don't know…It's silly, really…"

"Mac, this is me. I'm your best friend, I'd never think that any thought of yours was silly; you know that."

"If I were…" Mac finally continued, gathered courage, "If I were…his Mom, I'd never, ever let him spend a day without me in his life, in one way or another, letting him know how much I loved him."

Harm just smiled and stood up from the bed, moving over to her and putting his arms around her, hugging her to him.

"That's exactly how I know you're going to make a great mother, Sarah MacKenzie," he complimented her, "You could be nothing other. One day…"

"I hope so," Mac uttered, quietly, silently adding, "One day soon, just like this, with you by my side, God willing."

After that, Harm made his way out.

"I'd better get going, Mac. I've really enjoyed today, although I never thought it would be how I'd spend Christmas Day."

"Me too," Mac nodded, "Thanks for all of your help."

"No problem," Harm told her, then suggested, "Perhaps we could do something tomorrow? You, me and Calum…If you don't have any plans, that is…"

"Yeah," Mac nodded, "That sounds great. I think that I'll have to call social and take care of finding Calum's Mom, but not until the afternoon. We could do something in the morning, say about nine?"

"Sounds great!" Harm enthused, "See you tomorrow."

With a quick peck on Mac's cheek, Harm disappeared out into the cold.

Before she went to bed, Mac gently stirred Calum, to check if he needed the bathroom. Harriet had told her to check once in the night, then again early in the morning, to reduce the chances of accidents and so that he got into a good routine.

"Calum, sweetie? Do you need to go pee-pee?"

The little boy just shook his head and buried it further into the pillow.

"That's odd," Mac's sleep-fogged brain registered, "He had apple juice with his dinner and he didn't go before or after his bath."

She didn't think that Harm would have taken him, while she had been on the phone to Uncle Matt…She let the worry pass, because Calum had his pull-ups on and she would check again early in the morning…Without another thought, she got dressed for bed and climbed in beside Calum. Before she drifted off, she noted with amusement how her living circumstances had changed so drastically in less than 24 hours!

Mac slept solidly until Calum woke her up at 4.45 the next morning. He had wiggled around in his sleep, so had ended up at the far side of the bed, away from Mac. He sat up in bed and regarded her sleeping form.

"Mommy?" he spoke up, timidly, then with more confidence, "Mommy?"

Mac stirred and rolled over, lifting her head sleepily to search for him.

"What is it, honey?" she asked, "You need the potty?"

Calum shook his head and lifted his arms, reaching out for her, "Mommy…"

"C'mon then," Mac pulled the duvet beside her up in invitation.

Calum quickly crawled over and scrambled in beside her.

"Night-night, baby," she told him, kissing him on the head as they both settled back down to sleep.

Mac got up at six forty-five, but left Calum to sleep for a while longer. She noted it as another one of the things that she should ask Harriet. How much sleep were toddlers supposed to get, anyway?

While she was in the kitchen making coffee, her phone rang, so she ran to answer it in the living room, so it didn't wake Calum up.

"Hi Mac!" she was greeted by Chloe's cheery voice, "Merry Christmas!"

"Chloe!" Mac exclaimed in surprise, "Merry Christmas! Are you calling from a payphone? Do you want me to call you back?"

"That's okay," the girl told her, "I'm calling from my Dad's cell phone. He says we can talk as long as we want."

Mac knew that Chloe and her family were away on a skiing holiday this Christmas, so she hadn't expected to hear from her, not even on the day after Christmas.

"So, what's it like there?" Mac asked, "Are you having fun?"

"Oh yeah!" Chloe enthused, "I've made friends with two girls I met in the ski club. They're the same age as me. Laura's from California and you'll never guess where Jessie is from."

"Where?" Mac played along.

"Arizona!"

"Really? How's she liking the snow, then?"

"Oh, she loves it. She's like me, this is her first skiing holiday."

"That's great, Chloe…"

Here, Mac cut off, because Calum had emerged from the bedroom.

"Mommy…" he declared, loudly, "Drink-drink…"

"Uh, Chloe, I'm going to have to call you back…"

On the other end of the line, Chloe couldn't quite believe what she had heard.

"No, wait Mac!"

"I promise, I won't be more than ten minutes," Mac told her, "I've got your Dad's number, I'll call you straight back."

Once the line was disconnected, Chloe just sat, staring at the phone. Had somebody really called Mac 'Mommy'?

As promised, Mac called Chloe back, just five minutes later.

"Sarah MacKenzie!" Chloe exclaimed as she picked up the phone, "What was that all about?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Mac replied.

"I'm serious, Mac," Chloe scolded her, "Did you have a baby and not tell me about it?"

"No," Mac told her, "I didn't have a baby…"

"Then what was that?" Chloe demanded.

"Guess who I've got here, sitting beside me?" Mac teased her.

"A baby!" Chloe guessed, logically.

"Not exactly, no," Mac revealed, "He's a little boy, he's three years-old and his name is Calum. I found him sleeping in the hallway of my building, yesterday morning."

"You mean somebody left their child on Christmas morning?" Chloe practically shrieked into the phone.

Mac winced and held hers away from her ear.

"Easy there, Chloe," she soothed.

"But…but…what was she thinking?"

"I don't know, but I think that she must be scared or in serious trouble, if she resorted to doing something like that."

"Are you going to keep him?"

"No, I'm going to call social services this afternoon. They've been closed over the holiday."

"I think you should adopt him, Mac," Chloe gave her opinion.

Mac sighed audibly in amusement, so Chloe continued.

"No, I'm serious, Mac, it all makes sense. You could adopt him and legally become his Mommy then when I visit, I could baby-sit him and be his 'Auntie Chloe…Think about it, you've always wanted a child and nothing would attract a man like a woman with an adorable child…"

"How do you know he's adorable?"

"He sounds like it…All children are cute…That's why men will come flocking…"

"No, Chloe, I don't think that it really works like that."

"Well, even with me around, my Dad still managed to find a girlfriend."

"Yes, but that was a man attracting a woman with his paternal abilities."

"It would work the other way around too…Say, what does Harm think about the baby?"

"He thinks Calum is cute, but he's like me. He knows how much responsibility a child is…"

"But you guys have already agreed to have a child of your own, why couldn't this work…?"

"Hey!" Mac exclaimed, "How do you know about that!"

"Oops!" Chloe uttered, "Umm…Harm kinda told me…"

"When!"

"When we all went out for dinner, last Christmas. You and Harriet were in the bathroom."

"So Bud knows, too?"

"No, he was busy trying to get little AJ out from under the table…He didn't mean to tell me, Mac…It just slipped out. It was an accident."

"I guess…"

"You're not mad, are you?"

"No, just a little disappointed…but not at you or Harm, I promise."

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

"Then why are you disappointed?"

"I'm never going to be able to hold up my end of the deal…"

"But why?"

Mac only hesitated momentarily before telling Chloe. She really had grown up into a mature young woman. She only struggled finding the words to explain.

"Because it's highly unlikely that I'll ever be able to have kids of my own, Chloe. I've got a problem with my reproductive organs. It's called 'endometriosis' and I've got it pretty bad."

"I'm sorry, Mac," was the only thing Chloe could think of to say.

"It's alright," Mac assured her, "I'm sure I'll manage. I'm 36 and I have done, so far."

"That's why you should keep Calum."

"No," Mac discounted, "He's already got a Mother out there, somewhere."

"Then why's he calling you Mommy?"

"I don't know" Mac replied, "That's what I can't understand. He just started it yesterday."

"You would make a great Mom, Mac," Chloe told her.

"No, I'm not keeping Calum, Chl…" Mac started.

"No, I didn't mean that…I just meant a Mom, to any other child, one of your own…"

"Thank you," Mac told her.

"If you want, I'll have a couple of kids for you."

Mac laughed, "What do you think your Dad would think of that?"

"He'd probably not be too thrilled."

"Yeah, that's what I was thinking, too."

"But I mean it, every word. You know that, don't you?"

"Yeah, thank you, sweetie."

After that, Mac explained that she was going to have to go, to get Calum ready to go out.

"C'mon, you!" she smiled at Calum and lifted him from the couch, "Uncle Harm will be coming in a while. Let's get you all ready."

By the time that Harm arrived, they were all ready, but it had started snowing again.

"Is it too heavy out there?" Mac asked, gesturing to the window.

"No, it's not too bad," Harm dismissed, "Just as long as we take the SUV."

"Where were you thinking about going?"

"Well, I was thinking about the park, but I now we're going to have to find somewhere indoors."

"Yeah," Mac agreed, "Let's think about it in the car."

She checked through her latest 'fashion accessory,' the diaper bag, before they left. Lifting Calum up onto her hip, she grabbed her purse and key, and they headed out the door.

As it turned out, the fall of snow was much too heavy for a trip to the park, so they decided to head for a nearby mall with a large soft-play area.


	4. Chapter 4

From part 3…

By the time that Harm arrived, they were all ready, but it had started snowing again.

"Is it too heavy out there?" Mac asked, gesturing to the window.

"No, it's not too bad," Harm dismissed, "Just as long as we take the SUV."

"Where were you thinking about going?"

"Well, I was thinking about the park, but I now we're going to have to find somewhere indoors.

"Yeah," Mac agreed, "Let's think about it in the car."

She checked through her latest 'fashion accessory,' the diaper bag, before they left. Lifting Calum up onto her hip, she grabbed her purse and key, and they headed out the door.

As it turned out, the fall of snow was much too heavy for a trip to the park, so they decided to head for a nearby mall with a large soft-play area.

Part 4…

"Wow!" Harm exclaimed, for the little boy's benefit, "Look at all of that, buddy! That looks like so much fun!"

Unfortunately, first they had to stand in the long admission line. But a few minutes later, they were inside, deciding what to do first. Calum toddled over to the ball pool and Mac let out a laugh when Harm grabbed him and jumped in.

Calum seemed to be having a great time!

"C'mon Aunty Mac!" Harm encouraged, "It's fun!"

With a giggle, Mac gave in and jumped in beside them.

"You like this, sweetie?" she beamed at the little boy 'splashing' the colourful, plastic balls.

"Yeah," Harm nodded, "he sure does!"

Next they watched Calum as he climbed through tubes and went down slides. All too soon, their fifteen minutes were up and they had to leave.

"Hoo, boy!" Harm exclaimed, "That was fun!"

Mac just grinned at Harm's 'happy kid' facial expression.

"Daddy," Calum demanded, "Go pee-pee…"

"At last!" Mac exclaimed, picking the little boy up, "I was getting worried about that!"

She turned to Harm, "Would you believe that this boy hasn't been to the bathroom at all since Bud and Harriet were around, yesterday?"

"No," Harm replied, "But just because I took him while you were on the phone to your Uncle Matt. Didn't I tell you?"

"No…" Mac looked at him, "You took him?"

"Yeah…so? You want me to take him, now?"

"No, I just didn't think…"

"I'm not that bad with kids, Mac."

"I didn't say you were…that's just something that I guess I never realised about you, that's all…"

"Do you want me to take him?"

"No, it's alright. It should be okay for me to take him into the lady's room, he's only three."

"I need to go to the men's room anyway."

This was all taking up valuable time and Calum tugged urgently on Harm's hand.

"Daddy…"

"Okay," Mac agreed, if only so that Calum would get to a toilet in time.

"Imagine that!" Mac thought to herself, once she was on her own, "Harmon Rabb Jr. acting all paternal! I could really get used to this…"

Afterwards, they went to the cookie stand in the mall, before returning to the car, because the parking time was due to expire.

"How about we just take a drive around DC?" Mac suggested, as she was getting Calum all strapped up and settled in the back of the car. Harm had put the heating on so that it was nice and warm and Calum sat quite happily, munching on his cookie.

"Don't you need to get home?" Harm asked, "You said you were going to call social this afternoon."

"It's still quite early," Mac shook her head, "Besides, everybody will be out at lunch, around this time."

"Okay, whatever you think," Harm conceded.

Part of him wondered whether this was an avoidance ploy on Mac's part, though.

"I know!" Mac suddenly exclaimed, asking, "Do you think that Bud and Harriet might mind having visitors, today?"

"I don't see why they would," Harm supposed, "Why don't you give them a call and see."

Mac did so and Harriet told her that they were always welcome around, at any time.

So, twenty minutes later, they pulled up in the Robert's driveway. Harriet had their front door open before Harm and Mac were even out of the car and while Mac was getting Calum out, she walked out to meet them.

"AJ's going to be happy to see Calum again," she noted, "You should have heard him last night, after we got home. It was Calum this and Calum that! 'Mommy, can Calum come and sleep over, tomorrow?' I had a hard time explaining that Calum is still too little for something like that."

"I don't know, Harriet," Mac said, as she lifted Calum into her arms, "He's been with me for two days and he still hasn't mentioned anything about his Mom…"

Here, Calum exclaimed, "Mommy!" and leaned in to snuggle into the side of Mac's neck and wrap his arms around her.

"He seems like he's got to be very attached to you, though," Harriet noted, smiling.

Once inside, Harriet went to go and find little AJ and Jimmy, while Harm, Mac and Calum joined in the living room, where he was feeding the twins.

As Harm and Mac were watching the twins get their lunch and chatting to Bud, quietly, something got hold of Calum's attention. His eyes became huge and his mouth widened into a grin of delight. On Christmas Day, the day before, Bud had fixed a battery-operated plane, suspended on a string, to the ceiling in the dining room. Now, Calum eyed the circling plane with glee and took off in a joyful, babyish half-run/half-hop, to go and take a closer took.

"Calum!" Mac laughed as she watched on, then followed behind, so that he wouldn't be out of her sight.

Harm and Bud also chuckled, peering around the archway separating the living room and dining room.

"Look at him!" Mac got out between bouts of laughter, "He loves it!"

Calum was now running in circles beneath the plane, trying to keep up with it and look up at it, at the same time. But he soon got dizzy, so fell back onto his diapered rear-end, to sit with his head right back and watch it.

With Calum so easily occupied, everyone else went back to the grown-up conversation and Harriet joined them, once she had brought the boys downstairs. Little AJ and Jimmy, who tagged along close behind his big brother, brought a whole stack of Christmas toys that they wanted to show Calum.

"He's so quiet," Harriet commented as she watched Calum politely watch AJ and Jimmy as they showed him all of the toys and what each one did.

"Isn't he?" Mac remarked, "I would have thought that a child his age would speak a lot more, but he hardly says a word."

"Maybe he's an only child," Bud suggested, "I remember that little AJ was a lot quieter before Jimmy came along. And Jimmy's certainly chattier than AJ was at the same age."

"Perhaps," Mac nodded, then continued, "I meant to ask you, how much sleep each night will Calum need?"

"At this age," Harriet told her, "Every child will be different, but I would say that the more sleep he gets, the better. So long as he isn't getting tired during the day. And a short nap in the afternoon will help to make sure that he doesn't get cranky in the evening."

Mac nodded, "Okay, well he started dozing yesterday evening, while you were over, then once we started eating dinner he woke up and had some too. I think we must have put him to bed around eight…"

She looked to Harm, who nodded and confirmed, "Yeah, around then."

"Then he slept until about five this morning. Once I got him settled again, he slept in until about half-seven. So, what…that's well in excess of ten hours…"

"That's really good, Ma'am," Bud told her, "When little AJ was around two, he went through this stage of only needing about six hours. He'd wake up at four in the morning, then end up really cranky in the afternoon."

"Hey," Harriet reminded him, "You were at work. You didn't have to put up with him! Remember?"

Harm and Mac laughed.

"Calum?" Mac called out to the boy, "Do you need to go potty, sweetie?"

The little boy looked to where she stood and nodded his head.

"C'mon then!" Mac urged him, holding her hand out to him.

He quickly got to his feet and ran to her.

"Here, Mac," Harriet stood, also, "I'll make sure that you've got everything you'll need…"

Jimmy wasn't quite at the potty training stage, yet, but little AJ was long past it, so Harriet wasn't sure that everything needed for Calum would be sitting out, in plain sight. Mac grabbed an extra pair of pull-ups from the diaper bag, just in case they would be needed.

When they returned, Calum returned to AJ and Jimmy and sat down beside them on the carpet.

"Hey, Mom!" little AJ called to his Mother, "Can Calum come to my birthday party?"

"We'll see, honey," Harriet told him, "It's not for a while, yet."

She looked back to the rest of the grown-ups, who all wore the same expression on their faces. They all knew that, in all possibility, Calum would not be around anymore for little AJ's birthday, he'd either be back with his Mother or in a new home. However, Harriet knew that she couldn't tell her son this, without upsetting him.

"We'll think about it, closer to the time," she told her son.

This seemed to satisfy little AJ.

After that, a subdued air settled upon the grown-ups.

"Umm," Harriet changed the subject, "So, do you have any plans for when you start back at work on Monday, Ma'am? Who's going to be looking after Calum?"

She was immediately sorry, when Mac replied, quietly,

"I was going to wait to sort that out. I'll be talking to social services this afternoon."

"But would they take Calum into care that quickly, Ma'am?" Bud asked, "I wouldn't think anybody would get out to you so fast. Then there's a suitable foster-home to find. I would think that it would take a bit of time…"

"I really don't know," Mac told him, "I don't know what to expect, yet, so I'm not going to worry myself about it in the meantime."

"Yes, that is sensible, Mac," Harriet nodded, patting Mac's arm, comfortingly, "Don't worry about finding daycare for Calum. With little AJ at school, I'd be glad to watch him for you, during the day. I'm used to having my four here and they all get on with him so well…"

They looked back to where the three boys were sitting together on the carpet, Jimmy and AJ playing with the toys and Calum just watching, but all of them never-the-less getting on like a house on fire.

Soon after that, the conversation dried up, so Harm and Mac thanked the Roberts for their hospitality and, with Calum, made their way back to Mac's.

"Why don't I stay for a while?" Harm suggested, when they arrived at his place.

"It's okay, Harm," Mac thanked him for his thoughtfulness, "but I'll be fine getting this done."

"But what about Calum?" Harm pointed out, "You don't want him around when you're speaking to social. I could keep him occupied, while you make the call in the other room."

Mac conceded that he was right, there was no way that she wanted Calum to hear anything about what was going to happen.

"Yeah," she nodded, "I guess that does make sense. Thanks."

"No problem."

Mac went into the bedroom to make the call, while Harm kept Calum occupied in the living room. Once she got through, she was passed around from office to office for a good while, which didn't serve to brighten her spirits any.

"What wrong with these people?" she thought to herself. Each person she spoke to thought that another colleague would be 'better equipped to deal with this sort of situation.'

"Chicken shit," Mac mumbled quietly, after being transferred for the sixth time.

Finally she got somebody who seemed to know what they were doing. She explained the whole situation to him and was actually unnerved when he didn't seem all that surprised.

"So the child was left on your doorstep, Ma'am?"

"Yes, that's right. I opened my front door, just after eight and he was just sitting there, in the hallway, asleep."

"Your front door? So the child was not outdoors for any length of time?"

"No, not as far as I know. The building is well-heated."

"And you are not a blood relative of the child?"

"No, I'm not, but the note from Calum's Mother left, it seemed that she might have known me or at least have been familiar with me. I meet a lot of people through my job as a lawyer, but I don't recall having seen Calum before."

"Do you still have the note, Ma'am?"

"Yes, I still have it."

"Good…Could I ask you, Ma'am, if you could please seal it in a plastic bag, so that we could send it for analysis?"

"Yes, that was one of the first things I did. But my fingerprints will be on it, I didn't realise what it was, at first."

It's unlikely that we'll get a hit on any fingerprints," the social worker discounted, "unless the mother has a criminal record, but maybe we could determine something else from the stationary used to write the note."

"Okay," Mac nodded.

"I could manage to get out to see you two tomorrow afternoon, if that suits?"

"Tomorrow?" Mac repeated, "Um, you could get here as soon as that?"

"If that is suitable for you, Ma'am," the social worker told her, "Are you able to manage in the meantime? If not, I'm sure that we could manage emergency…"

"No! No, we're managing just fine," Mac assured him.

"Okay, good. Well, I think I could be there by one…If you could give me your full address, Ma'am and your apartment number…"

Mac did so and that was that. She let out a breath as she replaced the receiver. Her mind told her that this was all for the best, but another, unidentifiable, part of her wondered just what she had set in motion.

"Hey," she greeted Harm as she came out of the bedroom, "All done."

Harm held a finger to his lips then pointed to Calum, bundled up in a blanket on the couch. The glint in Harm's eye suggested mischief and Mac soon caught onto the game that they were playing.

"Oh, Aunty Mac!" Harm exclaimed, melodramatically, "I can't find Calum! I only turned my back on him for a second and he just disappeared! I can't find him anywhere…"

Mac smiled as she eyed the tiny pair of feet sticking out of the end of the fluffy blanket.

"Well," she huffed, "I'm sure he must be around here somewhere…He couldn't have gone out of the apartment without all of his clothes."

All of Calum's clothes were on the floor, so Mac assumed that he must have shed them to play about in just his pull-ups.

"Oh my!" Mac continued, "Where on earth could Calum be?"

She sat down on the couch beside Calum with a 'whump' and carried on with the charade for a minute before suddenly reaching over and grabbing one of his exposed feet. She was rewarded with a burst of wild giggles.

"Wait a minute!" she exclaimed, "What's this!"

She pulled back the folds of the blanket, until Calum's smiling, impish little face came into view.

"Here he is!" she laughed, "We haven't lost him after all! Hey, you! What have you been up to? All of your clothes are on the floor."

"I was just taking off his shoes, after you went through to the phone in the bedroom," Harm told her, "And he just kept on pulling stuff off. First it was just his socks, but then it was his sweater, his t-shirt and his pants…Luckily, he stopped there!"

"Otherwise we'd be seeing that little six!" Mac playfully lay the boy across her knee and swatted his behind. Calum roared with laughter while she did so, then scrambled from Mac to Harm with gleeful, childish excitement. For a good few minutes, Mac pretended to go for him, again and again, while Calum would scream with delight and pull his legs in out of her way.

"Okay, that's enough, now," Mac finally decided, "We'd better start dinner. You wanna stay, Harm?"

"Yeah, sure," Harm nodded, "If you'll have me…"

"Hmmm," Mac thought to herself, making her way towards the kitchen, "Would I ever?"


	5. Chapter 5

From part 4…

"I was just taking off his shoes, after you went through to the phone in the bedroom," Harm told her, "And he just kept on pulling stuff off. First it was just his socks, but then it was his sweater, his t-shirt and his pants…Luckily, he stopped there!"

"Otherwise we'd be seeing that little six!" Mac playfully lay the boy across her knee and swatted his behind.

Calum roared with laughter while she did so, then scrambled from Mac to Harm with gleeful, childish excitement. For a good few minutes, Mac pretended to go for him, again and again, while Calum would scream with delight and pull his legs in out of her way.

"Okay, that's enough, now," Mac finally decided, "We'd better start dinner. You wanna stay, Harm?"

"Yeah, sure," Harm nodded, "If you'll have me…"

"Hmmm," Mac thought to herself, making her way towards the kitchen, "Would I ever?"

Part 5…

Mac woke up that night as Calum was wriggling about beside her in bed.

"Mmm," she sighed, "Calum? What're you doing?"

The little boy only mumbled in discontent, but continued to thrash about.

"What's wrong?" Mac asked, again.

Calum now started to groan and cry.

This quickly woke Mac up completely, because in the couple of days that the boy had been staying with her, he had almost never cried at all.

"Calum," she reached out to him then nearly pulled her hands away in shock, "Oh, Calum!"

The little boy was flushed with fever, it was a wonder that she had not felt it radiating off him before now.

"It's okay, sweetie," she comforted him, "I'm here, we'll have you feeling better in no time…"

Trying not to get too flustered and panicky, Mac tried to think what she should do. First of all, she pulled the duvet off of him, so he wasn't sweltering. Then she went into the bathroom to get a cold flannel. Looking through her medicine cabinet, she quickly ascertained that none of the medication was suitable for Calum, he was far too young. So she went back through to the bedroom. She was worried further when she found that Calum had now begun to shiver.

"If he has a fever, then I should keep him cool…but if he has a chill, then surely I should keep him warm…This is all so confusing!" Mac's thoughts all conflicted.

"Okay!" she finally snapped out of her panicked state, "You are a United States Marine, you can handle this! Think logically…"

Calum's pyjamas were soaked through with sweat. She stripped him of those and dried him off, before she put him in new ones, which were all-in-one and warm enough to keep him snug, without overheating him, either. After this, she wrapped him in a thin blanket and put the folded, cold flannel on his forehead. She found that he was congested in his chest, so she settled him sitting up in her arms, so that he'd have an easier time breathing.

"Okay…" she murmured to herself, "…now what do we do?"

It was clear that Calum needed something to take down his temperature. But the all-night chemist was down the block. It was once again snowing outside, so taking Calum outside was out of the question. But she couldn't leave him here on his own, either. How was she going to get some medication for him?"

Mac looked over to the clock. It was past two in the morning. She wondered who she could call at this time. She didn't want to call Bud and Harriet this late. The twins were just starting to sleep properly through the night…And they were so far away.

"Harm," she suddenly said to herself.

He'd be asleep, but it wouldn't take him too long to get here and he still had his SUV, so the drive through the snow wouldn't be too bad for him either.

With that decision made, Mac shifted Calum into one arm, reached for the telephone receiver with the other, nestled it between her ear and her shoulder and reached back to dial. It rang a few times before Harm's answer phone picked up. She sighed as the message played and once the tone sounded, spoke up.

"Harm, it's me…Can you pick up if you're there?"

Just a few seconds later, Harm's voice spoke up.

"Mac! Is everything alright? Is it Calum?"

He was breathless and he sounded as if he had run to the phone.

"Yeah," she told him, "Harm, he's sick. I think he's coming down with a cold. He's feverish, he's grizzly and congested, he's shivery but I've got nothing to give him. Harm, none of my medication is meant for children…"

"Okay," Harm stopped her, "Give me 25 minutes, I can be there and I'll stop off at a chemist's on the way."

"Thank you, Harm."

"It's no problem at all."

Mac gave Harm a load of information about Calum's age, the symptoms that he was showing and what sort of medications they were looking for.

After hanging up, Mac remembered something. If Calum was sweating so much, he'd be getting dehydrated, so Mac took him through to the kitchen to get him some juice, to boost his fluids. By the time that Harm got there, Mac was settled in an armchair, with Calum in her arms, the boy drinking from his sippy-cup. She had purposely unlocked the door, so that Harm could just let himself in.

"How's he doing?" Harm asked her, as he came in.

"He's better than he was," Mac told him, "But I'll definitely feel better about his condition once he gets some medication."

"He still feels hot," Harm frowned, gently placing the back of his hand against Calum's head, "Okay, let's see what we've got here…"

Mac watched as Harm lifted out item after item from the brown, paper drug-store bag.

"These two are cough medicine," he explained pointing to two different coloured boxes, "I got chesty and dry, so that if this develops into something more, we'll be prepared. It should help with the congestion and it has parecetamol in it, so it should help with his other symptoms…I didn't know if he had any head pain, so I got this, too…"

Harm held up a small tube.

"It's a natural remedy for head pain," he explained, "It contains 100 eucalyptus oil…This is for his fever…"

Harm broke open a thin package, pulling out a sachet. He ripped this along the top and extracted a funny blue sheet. He put this on Calum's forehead. The little boy flinched and moaned a little, so Mac guessed that it must be cold.

"It's a sheet of gel that stays ultra-cold, so it'll take the edge off his fever."

Now, Harm lifted out two bottles of juice.

"This is black-current and this is apple. The pharmacist recommended them, because they're very gentle, even on the most delicate of stomachs. They're fortified with iron, vitamins, minerals and also contain important salts that are lost through sickness and diarrhoea. She said that children often react that way to a cold; the digestive system gets out of whack. This juice is recommended because it helps rebalance the system.I also got 'immodium' and 'pepto-bismol' for children and so that we can prevent him from getting sick again, I also got a bumper supply of children's chewable vitamins."

"Yeah," Mac commented, smiling, "you did…Thanks so much for all of this…and not just all of this medication, for coming all the way over here at three in the morning, in this atrocious weather."

"You and Calum are very welcome," Harm replied, "I like to help. So why don't we get some of this medicine into him? I got 'Vicks' as well, maybe you could put it on a cloth on your shoulder, so that he breathes it in. It will unblock his airways …"

In a short amount of time, they got Calum all dosed up and settled down on the couch.

"He seems more comfortable, now," Mac noted, as they both watched him, "His breathing is clearer."

"Mm-hm," Harm nodded in agreement, "You might want to take him to the bathroom before you go back to bed. He's had a cup of that juice."

Mac nodded, "I'll do that."

She looked out of the window and noted, "It's snowing pretty bad out there. Would you like to stay here, tonight? I can only offer the couch."

"Thanks," Harm responded, "But I should be getting home…unless you want somebody around, tomorrow, when social come? I could come back over, tomorrow morning…"

"That's okay," Mac shook her head, "We'll manage, it'll probably just be a preliminary assessment. He'll just want to know all of the details and all that. I'll make sure that it's kept short. Calum won't be up to much else."

"Okay," Harm conceded, "Just call me if you need anything. And don't let this social worker try to boss you around."

"Of course not," Mac smiled, "I've got a hard-ass jarhead image to uphold."

Harm just grinned and they made their way to the front door.

"Night Mac," Harm bid her good night, "Take care of him, I'll see

both soon…"

"Will do," Mac nodded, "See you soon, Harm."

Calum was still sitting in the living room in his pyjamas when the social services person came, the next day. He was a little early, but Mac was still completely prepared.

"Good, morning…Ms. MacKenzie?" he asked, once Mac had opened the door. He showed his social service id, so Mac let him in.

"I hope it's okay," she told the man, "I've left Calum in his pyjamas, today. He's not very well, he's coming down with a cold, so I thought he'd be more comfortable, that way."

"That's fine," the man nodded, adding, "Please, call me David."

"Okay, David," Mac showed him through to the living room, "Well, this is Calum."

She went over to the little boy, who was watching tv and crouched down to him.

"Calum, sweetie, this is David…He's come to meet you today and he'll be asking me some questions. Shall we turn the tv off and go sit together on the couch?"

Calum seemed amenable to this, so Mac did so lifting Calum onto her knee after she and David sat down. David asked her to recount the events, as they had happened, again. Then, he asked her to think about whether Calum had said anything that might give her an idea about where he was from.

"No," Mac thought, slowly, "To be honest, he doesn't say a lot at all. In fact, he's incredibly quiet."

"He's never mentioned his Mother?"

"No," Mac told him, truthfully.

"Mommy!" Calum spoke out, as if to call her a liar.

"Wow," David exclaimed, "Yes, that's right, Calum…Where is Mommy?"

Calum just looked around to Mac.

"Mommy," he murmured softly, settling back against her, contentedly.

"I was just about to explain that," Mac smiled, "I don't know where he's got the idea from, but Calum seems to be under the impression, somehow, that I'm his Mother. In fact, when I tried to get through to him that I wasn't, he got very upset. I just can't convince him."

"That's unusual," David commented, "By three years of age, children usually have very concrete ideas about who is in their immediate family and who isn't. In fact, you'd expect him to get upset when his care routine was taken over by someone who he didn't know…You were telling me over the phone that it could be possible that Calum's Mother had contact with you through your work…?"

"It is possible," Mac supposed, "But I'm sure that I've never seen Calum before. None of my clients really seem plausible. I know everything about their home and family lives. It's something else, too…"

She pondered for a minute.

"Calum's Mom just seemed to be very desperate to resort to this…I don't know, she seemed like she might be in trouble. But why not come see me in my work capacity?"

They brainstormed for several minutes, but didn't make any more progress along that thread, so turned to other matters.

"So, how do you feel that you are coping, so far, Ms. MacKenzie?"

"Apart from a bit of worry last night, when Calum fell sick, okay I suppose. I've got a really good network of support around me," Mac told him, "And Calum's a very good little boy. I never get any trouble from him."

Calum had demonstrated this by falling fast asleep.

"So you aren't encountering any particularly tough tasks?"

"No, I've got a Godchild who is a bit older than Calum, so I'm not coming to this a complete beginner. Plus my Godson's Mother has been giving me a lot of good advice."

"That's good, that's very good. Now, perhaps we can talk about arranging foster care for Calum…"

"Wait, wait," Mac halted him, "You mean that, if we don't find Calum's Mother, he wouldn't go straight into an adoptive family?"

"Well," David explained, "it may take some time to find his mother. If that's the case, he's going to have to spend some time in a foster home. Places are limited, but I'm sure that I can find something by mid-week…"

"No," Mac shook her head, firmly, "Calum will stay here, until we find his Mother. There's no point in unsettling him and moving him somewhere new."

"Ms. MacKenzie," David persisted, "I don't think that you understand how things work in cases like thi…"

"Oh, I know exactly how things work in cases like this," Mac cut him off, "I'm a lawyer, it's my job to know how things work in cases like this."

She immediately set out what her position on the matter was and how she had the law on her side. Finally, she finished up along the lines that he could like it or lump it. Mac knew that her ideas were definitely in Calum's best interests. David had no choice but to concede to her reasoning.

"Have you thought about anything as to day care for Calum?" David asked as he got up to leave, "I'm assuming that you will be returning to work, soon?"

Mac nodded, "I've done some thinking, but haven't made any concrete enquiries."

"Well, take this," he gave her a business card, "They provide free child care for families in certain circumstances, I could give you a letter of reference to give to them."

Mac nodded, "Thanks, that would be great."

Next, they collected the bagged note, clothing and blanket that Calum had arrived with and David took them with him.

"One last thing," he remembered and took back the card, jotting something down on the reverse side of it.

"This is the number of a child psychologist who works for us," he gave the card back, "I'd like it if you were able to bring Calum to see him, sometime soon. I'll get in touch with him, then his secretary will probably phone you to arrange an appointment."

Mac felt a bit concerned about this and David must have sensed it, as he explained, "It might reveal something about his upbringing, if we were to gage his stage of development. That way, we'll know best how to proceed…"

Okay," Mac still felt wary.

With her line of work, she sometimes found that nasty surprises tended to jump out at her, when 'experts' were brought into a situation.

"Are you heading out now?" Harm asked, approaching her as she was exiting her office. It was Thursday and Mac had secured early so that she could take Calum to the appointment with the psychologist. She was just leaving to pick him up from Harriet's. Luckily, Harriet had volunteered to look after Calum in the day while Mac was at work. Mac was enormously relieved to have Calum looked after by somebody she knew and trusted, rather than someone she didn't.

"Yep, do you have something you need to talk about?" Mac replied, "I could spare a minute…"

"No," Harm shook his head, "I just wanted to say 'good luck.' Not that Calum will need it. They're bound to see what a fantastic little boy he is."

"Thanks," Mac told him, "I'll give you a call when we get home, to tell you how it went."

"Okay," Harm nodded, "Great."

And with that, Mac left.


	6. Chapter 6

See part 1 for disclaimer…

From part 5…

It was Thursday and Mac had secured early so that she could take Calum to the appointment with the psychologist. She was just leaving to pick him up from Harriet's. Luckily, Harriet had volunteered to look after Calum in the day while Mac was at work. Mac was enormously relieved to have Calum looked after by somebody she knew and trusted, rather than someone she didn't.

"Yep, do you have something you need to talk about?" Mac replied, "I could spare a minute…"

"No," Harm shook his head, "I just wanted to say 'good luck.' Not that Calum will need it. They're bound to see what a fantastic little boy he is."

"Thanks," Mac told him, "I'll give you a call when we get home, to tell you how it went."

"Okay," Harm nodded, "Great."

And with that, Mac left.

Part 6…

"Ms. MacKenzie and Calum, please," the doctor spoke, leaning out of his office.

"Right, Calum," Mac picked the little boy up from where he was playing with lego, "It's time to go and see the doctor…We'll come back to the toys, later."

Calum didn't make any fuss.

Three quarters of an hour later, the nurse left the office. She led Calum by the hand, back to Mac, who had been asked to give the doctor some time alone with Calum to run some 'developmental tests.'

"Hey, buddy!" Mac greeted the boy, "Did you have a good time?"

Calum seemed as laid back as ever, even after this long period of assessment.

"Ma'am," the nurse returned, twenty minutes later, "If you could just go speak with the doctor? I'll keep an eye on Calum while you're in there."

Mac nodded then knelt and explained to Calum exactly where she was going and that she would be long. He offered up no protest.

"Good afternoon, Ms. MacKenzie," the doctor greeted her as she entered the office and took a seat, "I'm sorry that we've kept you so long. We needed to run a few more specific tests."

"What kind of tests?" Mac asked.

"Just a few more…diagnostic tests…"

"Tests diagnostic of what, exactly?" Mac asked, fed up of all the talk in riddles. She was now starting to feel decidedly uneasy.

"Ms. MacKenzie," the doctor hesitated, which set off the alarm bells in Mac's head, "There's no easy way to put this…I believe that Calum has a form of autism…"

Mac was still reeling from the shock, three hours later. She was just watching Calum sitting on the floor, playing with his cars.

"Sure," she told herself, "he's lining up some of them, but there was nothing else ritualistic about his behaviour. All children are like that, though, aren't they?"

Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on her front door. She opened it to find that it was Harm.

"Hey there, Marine. I thought you were going to call…"

He cut off though, when he saw the look on Mac's face.

"What is it?" he frowned, "Is there something wrong?"

Mac just nodded and led him into the living room.

"Mac?" Harm asked, looking from her to Calum, who was still playing on the carpet.

"Would you say that there is something different about Calum?" she asked him.

Harm looked at the little boy.

"Yeah, he's cute and well-behaved!" he joked.

"No, really," Mac insisted, "Something that makes him different from other kids."

Harm looked again and shook his head.

"He's quiet but content…What did that doctor tell you?"

"That Calum has autism," Mac spoke, softly.

"No way!" Harm shook his head, "No way…"

"He said that it is a very mild form, but that Calum is none-the-less autistic," Mac continued, "He thought that it might be why his Mother left him…I've been thinking about the possibility, but it just makes _no_ sense. Calum's mother said that she wouldn't consider leaving him with me unless it was what was best for him. How can _I _be what is best for him? I have no experience of being a mother, let alone to one with special needs…"

It was all getting too much for Mac and Harm could see it, so he moved to comfort her.

"No, Mac, it can't be," he went with his gut instinct, which had always served him well in the past, "It has to be a misdiagnosis. I've heard about all of these so-called psychometric tests. So many children show signs of autism. It's a part of their development, they all go through these stages…"

"Do you think that I should ask for a second opinion?" Mac asked.

"Yeah," Harm nodded, "Definitely. Calum may be a quiet child, but I very much doubt that he has autism."

"But I can't understand why the doctor seemed so sure…was he seeing something that we aren't?" Mac asked.

"No," Harm insisted, "The doctor was just looking at the results of his so-called psychometric tests. Mac, there's wide-spread misdiagnosis of developmental disorders. We're too free with out definition. Our diagnostic statistics are much higher than every other country in the world. It's not that we have higher incidence, it's that we're just too quick to give a child a label like 'autism.' It's the same with ADHD, dyslexia…"

Mac just looked teary-eyed, so Harm led her to the kitchen, out of Calum's line of sight.

"Mac…" he pulled her into a hug as tears began to run down her cheeks

Eventually, she pulled herself together and explained, "It's just that the doctor told me…"

"What?" Harm urged, gently, "What did that quack tell you?"

"That…that it was highly unlikely that Calum's Mom would come back to get him. And that his diagnosis would seriously hamper their efforts to get him into a permanent home. He'd most likely end up in a group home, with other children 'like him.'"

"Oh, Mac," Harm sighed, "I'm sure that isn't going to happen, even if Calum does have autism…and I'm sure that he doesn't. You and I will fight to make sure that that doesn't happen to him, okay?"

Mac just looked him in the eye and nodded, wiping away the tears from her face. Harm comfortingly held his hand to her cheek and she reached up and held it there, trying to absorb his strength, like the first time she had heard of Webb's death.

"How are you so sure?" Mac asked, her gaze locked with his.

"I just know, Mac," he told her. And that was good enough for Mac.

They stood just like that for a minute and Mac suddenly felt the compulsion to rise up and kiss him. But she didn't get to do anymore than think it, because they were interrupted by Calum.

"Daddy!"

Calum had been so absorbed in his play that he had not noticed Harm arrive.

"Hey there, you!" Harm exclaimed with smile and went to the child, "Aunty Mac tells me that you were a good boy at the doctors, today. Good job, buddy!"

Mac smiled as she watched them together. Yes, Harm was right. There was no way that Calum had the problems that the doctor was describing.

"No, Ma'am," Bud shook his head, "I would definitely say 'no.'"

"Definitely not," Harriet agreed with her husband, "Did you let David know that you wanted a second opinion?"

"Yes," Mac sighed, "but he said that it doesn't work that way. He says that the doctor is well respected in the developmental field and that social services was willing to accept his diagnosis."

"In other words," Harm summarised, They're giving up on him."

"This can't happen, Mac," Harriet spoke up, with urgency, "If he's put in a foster home with children with autism, won't he regress?"

Mac nodded, "Yes, that's what I'm afraid of…"

Over the next week, Mac did everything she could think of to bring Calum out of his shell. She read him books, played games with him, took him on day-trips, anything that might prompt him to start interacting with the world around him. Bud, Harriet and especially Harm pitched in whole-heartedly. But they didn't see Calum make any progress, that week.

"We'll just keep on trying," Harriet dismissed, "It'll take some time, that's all."

So, the next weekend, they went on a big trip to the beach. Harriet sat under a big beach umbrella as they played in the sand. Little AJ, Jimmy and Bud were busy trying to get a kite into the air. Calum, meanwhile, seemed to be fascinated with the water. For a while, Harm and Mac each held him by the hand and had a great time running towards the water as it went out, then running away as it flooded back in.

"C'mon, mister!" Mac spoke up, after a while, scooping Calum up, "I think it's about time that you got some more sun-cream on."

After that, Calum sat in the sand with the twins, sifting handful after handful of the fine silt through his fingers.

After a long day, Harriet was drying the boys off and getting them changed back into their clothes. Little AJ was the first one dressed and went over to his Godmother and Auntie for a hug. Presently, Calum perked up from where he was still playing with sand. He got to his feet and brushed the sand from his hands.

"Please, Mommy!" he went to where Mac was sitting with AJ on her knee, "Please…me have cuddles too…"

Mac's mouth fell open, as this was the first time she had seen him use so many words in one sentence.

Quickly, she helped him up onto her knee and little AJ was more than willing to share her for a little while.

"Calum," Mac tried, a few days later, "Where's Mommy?"

Calum just grinned and pointed to her, thinking that she was playing some sort of game with him.

Mac just smiled, sadly, gave him a hug and let him get back to his toys.

"He's definitely playing a lot more with the other children," Harriet mentioned, when Mac came to pick him up, the next week.

"But he's still behind other children of his own age," Mac sighed.

"Little AJ's teacher told me the same thing, once," Harriet shared with her, "That was in the fall, but by the next spring, he was starting to read by himself."

Mac looked intrigued.

"Children don't make steady, regular progress," she continued, "Some things come easy, other don't, sometimes a lot of things are harder for them to get the hang of, but then, one day; poof! They just get it and they start making leaps and bounds. Every child is different. That's just how Calum operates, I'm sure. He'll take a little bit longer, but he'll get there, eventually.

Mac sorely hoped that this would be the case.


	7. Chapter 7

From part 6…

"He's definitely playing a lot more with the other children," Harriet mentioned, when Mac came to pick him up, the next week.

"But he's still behind other children of his own age," Mac sighed.

"Little AJ's teacher told me the same thing, once," Harriet shared with her, "That was in the fall, but by the next spring, he was starting to read by himself."

Mac looked intrigued.

"Children don't make steady, regular progress," she continued, "Some things come easy, other don't, sometimes a lot of things are harder for them to get the hang of, but then, one day; poof! They just get it and they start making leaps and bounds. Every child is different. That's just how Calum operates, I'm sure. He'll take a little bit longer, but he'll get there, eventually.

Mac sorely hoped that this would be the case.

Part 7…

It was nearly three weeks later when Mac got a call that she had by now stopped expecting.

"Hello?" she answered the phone, "Colonel MacKenzie speaking."

"Hello, Colonel," David replied, "You are in possession of one Calum Clarke…"

"Did you find his Mother?" Mac asked, quickly. She had difficulty getting the words out, for her heart had suddenly risen into her throat.

"Well, yes…and no," David hesitated, "But first, let me explain…"

Mac listened patiently while he did so.

"We received a call, late yesterday, from an old man living in Virginia, near Richmond. He was concerned because he hadn't seen one of his neighbours or her child since Thanksgiving…At first he thought that they might just be on vacation for the holidays, but when they stayed away through January and well into February, he thought he'd better make some enquiries. He didn't know that names of either the child or the woman, but he did give a physical description. The one of the child matched Calum. So, we checked with the landlord and then the public records and got name of the woman paying rent on the apartment. We came up with the name 'Hannah Clarke,' which we used to

start looking around…Now Colonel, are you sitting down?"

Mac's breath caught for a second, before she replied, "Yes…"

"We got a hit when we checked with the Sacred Heart hospice in DC…Calum's Mom admitted herself on Christmas Day; the day that she left Calum outside your door. Colonel, Hannah Clarke was in a very weak condition; she had terminal breast cancer…"

"No…" Mac placed her head in her hands. This was not what she had hoped for, for Calum's sake.

"I'm sorry, Colonel," David continued, "She didn't make it past the Thursday of the next week. Her funeral was held by the state, nearly six weeks ago."

Mac knew that if Calum's mother had been buried by the state, she'd had no living family member able to arrange it themselves.

"But we did manage to track down Calum's original paediatrician…" David added.

"And?" Mac asked, her heart back in her throat again.

"You were right," David admitted, "Calum does not have autism. He's normal, in every respect. I guess it's just going to take him a while to get over the big changes that have happened in his life."

"Thank Gd," Mac had been repeating to herself, after she had heard the first part of what David had just told her.

"I'm going to start looking for an adoptive family for Calum, as soon as I can," David told her, "I'll let you know when I come up with something…"

"That's obviously why she felt she couldn't approach me," Mac told Harm, later that evening. Calum was by now fast-asleep on the couch

"She knew that I couldn't help her."

"How do you think she knew you?" Harm asked.

"Maybe she was in town, looking into care facilities," Mac shrugged.

Harm thought for a second, then spoke up.

"Do you think that may be why Calum calls you 'Mommy'? Because she taught him to?"

Mac explored the possibility.

"Maybe…perhaps he called her something different. She obviously thought that the transition would be easier for him, if she got him used to the idea."

Harm nodded. Neither of them wanted to think about how hard such a task was bound to be, teaching your own child to love another as his mother, so that it would be easier for him to adjust, once you were gone.

"So now what?" Harm asked.

"Now," Mac had to steel herself to get the words out, "David is looking for a new home for Calum, someone to adopt him."

"Are you sure this is what you want?" Harm asked, gently.

Mac knew exactly what Harm meant, but avoided the issue anyway.

"Of course," she replied, "I'm not having him going through lots of different foster homes, while they find him someone who will adopt him. He'll stay here as long as needed."

Harm just dropped the subject, because he didn't want to cause Mac any more pain than what she was already feeling.

Mac watched Calum as he played in the sandpit. She and Harm sat on a picnic blanket, not too far away. At last, Calum was starting to show some real progress. He was joining in with other children and their little games, although it was mainly because of the cool sandpit toys that they had brought with them. Right now, he was 'sharing' a toy dump-truck. But he wasn't pushy about it. At the first sign that the other child was unhappy with the arrangement, he quickly pulled back. He was very intuitive, Mac noted to herself. Harm was stretched out on his back, beside her, snoozing in the sunshine on this rare warm, sunny Sunday in April.

How much longer would all of this last? Mac was thinking to herself. Not that she wasn't enjoying it. She was - too much. This couldn't go on, she told herself, it was masochistic, letting herself believe that this was real, sometimes. And how would Calum get on, once she was out of his life? He'd already lost one Mother in the last five months. Did she have the strength to prepare him for what lay ahead, just as his mother had done? Her head told her that she had to do so, for Calum's sake. But her heart let her know clearly that to do so would be just too painful for everyone involved. And there couldn't be that much more time left. David had told her that Hannah Clarke had been diagnosed with terminal breast cancer over a year before she had succumbed to the disease. She had no medical insurance and no other family to help her. It would all affect Calum, if he watched the end of her steady decline, so she had begun to make and implement a plan. When it had all gotten too much for her to hide from Calum, Hannah had implemented the final stage of the plan. She had left Calum with the one person she had thought would take care of him and she had checked herself into a hospice to let go of life with the support of the attentive strangers around her.

Mac groaned at the onslaught of emotions besieging her. A child shouldn't have to lose two mothers…it just didn't seem fair. But Calum required so much more than she was able to give him. It was hard to be a parent; that much she had learned from watching the family life of Bud and Harriet. But to be a single parent…

"You okay, Mac?"

Mac was roused from her thoughts by Harm, who had heard her sigh.

"Yeah," she shifted, uncomfortably, "My arm's just gone dead from me leaning on it."

It wasn't a lie, her arm was numb, but it wasn't the whole truth, either. Her brain felt numb and her heart ached as she watched the gorgeous little boy with white-blond hair scoot around the sandpit with his new friends. Suddenly, the boy stiffened and got to his feet in a panic, surveying the grass area around him.

"Mommy?" he exclaimed in a scared, piercing voice, "Mommy?"

Mac quickly jumped up from where she was sitting, striding towards him.

His scared little face relaxed somewhat, once he caught sight of her.

"Here I am," Mac soothed him, bending down and scooping Calum up, "Did you forget where I was? Uncle Harm and I were just over there, watching you all the time."

Calum wrapped his arms around her neck, clinging on for dear life, emitting little whimpers, which eventually became little noises of contentment as Mac, stroking her fingers through his hair, carried him back to the picnic blanket, where she sat with him still in her arms.

"Is he okay?" Harm had sat up as soon as this had all started.

"Yeah," Mac kissed the top of the little boy's head, "He just forgot where we were."

"You got all turned around in that sandpit, didn't you, buddy?" Harm smoothed his hand over Calum's hair.

"Don't worry, sweetheart," Mac told the boy, "Everything's okay now."

But that was just the opposite of how she was feeling, now, knowing what the future had in store for them.

Harm went back to Mac's for dinner, that night. After making them a wonderful meal of stir-fried vegetables in an oyster sauce (yes, Calum partook in the meal, too!) Harm went into the kitchen to load up the dishwasher. When he returned, Mac and Calum were stretched out on the couch, Calum asleep on top of Mac, his cheek settled against the middle of her breastbone, between her breasts. Mac had her eyes shut, although she was not asleep and both of them looked utterly content.

"The Madonna and child," Harm thought to himself, smiling, his heart constricting within his chest. For a second he wondered whether, since she had become so close to the little boy over the past few months, she might decide not to give him up. But then his common sense kicked in. No, she would not keep him. She wanted the best for him, loved him so much that she would give him up to a complete family, if only for his own good. Harm knew that Mac would ignore her own feelings, her own emotional pain, to focus totally on Calum. That is what Harm admired about Mac. No matter the cost to herself, Mac would give everything and everyone her all. Her selflessness was her very essence and it amazed Harm every time he saw it. Before he knew it, Harm had crossed the room and was standing, watching them. Mac sensed his gaze and opened her eyes. For a second, she studied his eyes, which were taking the heavenly scene in. At first, he seemed to be watching both her and Calum, but then Mac watched as his gaze focussed on her and his expression turned from one of tenderness, to one she could not so easily decipher. That stare was so intense…Was she mistaken or was that love written on his face? Was he really looking at her in that way? Slowly, he took a few short steps until he was beside her, then he lowered himself to sit on the floor. Mac soon got her answer. Still fixing her with his intense gaze, he reached over and began to softly stroke her face and hair. The feeling that he poured into that look and those touches nearly made her moan out-loud. Then, he cupped the side of her face with his gentle hand and lowered his lips to hers. As Mac responded to his searching kisses, she had no doubt in her mind. This was not because of how he saw her tending to Calum. Harm was seeing her as a desirable woman, hopefully one with whom he wanted to share something more…

They quickly broke apart when Calum stirred, unconsciously holding their breaths, until he relaxed again, drifting back into sleep.

"Uh," Mac searched for the words, trying not to look sheepish, "Harm…this isn't such a good time…"

Harm just nodded, his eyes flicking away, unable to completely hide his disappointment, "Well, I guess I'd better get going…"

"Harm," Mac spoke out, quietly but urgently. She wanted to stop any misunderstanding that may be happening between them, but she couldn't find the words, didn't know what to say. So she didn't say anything, but took Harm's hand from where he had placed in on the sofa, about to brace himself as he got to his feet. He just looked at their joined hands, then at her and gave a soft smile.

"I'll see you at work, tomorrow," he smiled, giving her hand a squeeze. Mac marvelled how much he managed to say something so normal and everyday, yet still portray so much more through it.

"G'night, Harm."

With a little ruffle of Calum's hair, Harm left and Mac was left to ponder the night's events.


	8. Chapter 8

From part 7…

"Well, I guess I'd better get going…"

"Harm," Mac spoke out, quietly but urgently. She wanted to stop any misunderstanding that may be happening between them, but she couldn't find the words, didn't know what to say. So she didn't say anything, but took Harm's hand from where he had placed in on the sofa, about to brace himself as he got to his feet. He just looked at their joined hands, then at her and gave a soft smile.

"I'll see you at work, tomorrow," he smiled, giving her hand a squeeze. Mac marvelled how much he managed to say something so normal and everyday, yet still portray so much more through it.

"G'night, Harm."

With a little ruffle of Calum's hair, Harm left and Mac was left to ponder the night's events.

Part 8…

Harm and Mac were stuck in their offices all of the next day, buried under a mountain of paperwork. They were under strict orders from the Admiral not to leave until they had completed it or until it was time to clock off, whichever came first. This admiral was a little less abiding than Admiral AJ Chegwidden had been. Still, Harm and Mac managed to share a few meaningful glances across the bullpen, during the day.

When Mac went to pick Calum up that day, she found that he was at first clingy, then angry and insecure.

"Hey buddy!" she greeted him as he ran up and hugged her tightly around both legs then pushed her away with his next breath, "Calum, what's wrong?"

"I'm sorry, Ma'am," Harriet told her, "He's been like that a lot of the afternoon. I've tried everything I can think of, but I can't get him out of it."

"It's okay, Harriet," Mac told her, "I'll keep working on him once I get home."

"C'mon, sweetie," she behaved just as she normally would, acting if nothing was wrong.

'Just ignore the bad behaviour," she thought to herself, "You shouldn't reward it by reacting.'

She didn't even react as Calum shrugged out of her grasp as she put her hand on his shoulder to guide him to the car. From then on, she played it his way, letting him climb into the car himself, strapping him in with a calm, relaxed expression on her face.

"Wave goodbye to Aunty Harriet," she spoke up, brightly, waving herself, but said nothing when Calum remained motionless and sulky.

"You'd better watch out, Calum," Mac entreated, gently, "You're going to break those if you're not careful."

Calum only crashed his cars into one another with more force. Mac stifled the sigh she wanted to emit.

"Harm," she asked, "Would you give me a hand with these dishes?"

Harm had come over so that Mac could return the favour of cooking the dinner, tonight.

"Sure," Harm picked up the remaining plates and followed her into the kitchen.

"I don't know how much longer I can keep this up," she confided, once they were out of ear-shot of Calum.

"I know that he's only doing it for attention, but at the same time, he needs reassurance…but I don't want to reward his bad behaviour…Why is taking care of a child so hard? How do Bud and Harriet always know what is best? Can you get some kind of book that tells you all of the secrets?"

"Whoa, Mac," Harm soothed her, then chuckled, "Yeah, parenting for dummies. I don't see why not, they've got those books for every other subject!"

"Seriously," Mac persisted, "How did you manage with Mattie?"

"Mattie already had a lot of maturity," Harm pointed out, "Even more than you'd expect from somebody her age. Calum is just a little boy who is scared, who doesn't understand what is going on and who doesn't know what to do about it. Give him a little time, Mac, he'll come around."

It was a lot easier said than done. Calum remained silent, yet ranging inside, all evening. Harm and Mac could see that it would only be a matter of time until something gave. By eight o'clock, Mac decided that the waiting game would have to recommence the next morning. She'd take a personal day and spend it with Calum.

"Alright," she told the boy, "It's way past bedtime for you, mister…"

Calum just pouted, uttering an obstinate, 'no.'

Mac ignored him, going into the bedroom and getting his pyjamas. When she returned with them, Calum's temper really lit up.

"C'mon," she entreated.

Calum shook his head.

"It's after eight," she told him, "You're never awake this late…"

Calum just glared. Mac saw his jaw clench as she grabbed the hem of his t-shirt and pulled it up over his head and off him. She had to give him points, he was holding up under an enormous amount of pressure. By the time he was in his pyjamas, his cheeks and even his under-eye area was flushed and rosy and he was breathing heavily.

"Okay, Calum," Mac spoke up, "Now it's time to put your toys away. We don't want anyone falling over them. Then we'll brush your teeth."

Calum shook his head.

"C'mon," Mac persisted, "There aren't that many of them. Here, Aunty Mac will help you with them."

She grabbed the empty wicker basket and placed it beside him.

"No!" he told her, verbally, this time.

"They're dangerous if they're left lying about, Calum, someone might slip on them."

She took Calum firmly by the arms, to pull him to her, but the boy just softened his legs beneath him and she ended up holding him up so he didn't fall to the floor.

"Calum!" she was really starting to lose her patience, now.

After this, Calum seemed to just snap and Harm and Mac both braced themselves for a terrific show. Calum didn't disappoint them. There was much screaming, crying and tears, first on the floor where Calum had thrown himself, then directed at Mac, when she lifted him into her arms. Harm went to give Mac a hand, keeping Calum's arms and legs still so they didn't inflict any damage. They let him vocalise all of his anger and he managed to maintain it for a very long time. By the time that Calum started to lose steam, he had screamed himself hoarse, the front of his pyjama top was wet with all of his tears and his face was glowing like a lighthouse beacon.

"Shh…" Mac soothed him, softly as she rocked him in her arms, "It's okay, now. Everything's going to be okay…"

Harm stroked the boy's hair, trying to get him calmed down. But for a while, it seemed as if Calum couldn't get his breath and neither Harm nor Mac could understand anything he was trying to say.

"I know," Mac tried to placate him as he let out another barrage of half-words/half-heaving sobs, "I know, everything going to be alright…"

The anguished expression stayed on his face as he closed his weary eyes to the onslaught of the bright lights and tears still ran from the corner of his eyes.

"I'll be right back," Harm said softly, getting up from the couch and heading to the bathroom. He returned with a couple of the medicines from the medicine cabinet. Sitting back down beside them, he commented, "He's probably given himself a tension headache from all of that crying and screaming."

Harm rubbed some of the eucalyptus oil across Calum's forehead then placed a cool patch on to cool the boy's still-glowing skin.

"Thanks," Mac told him, "That should help him rest a bit easier."

They passed the rest of the evening just sitting together on the couch, watching Calum sleep.

"Good morning, Ma'am!" Bud Roberts greeted Mac as he arrived back from court,

"How's Calum doing today? Harriet said that he was having a few troubles, yesterday."

"Yeah," Mac nodded, "I think it's just because he's picking up on everything that's going on. He's doing much better today, but last night was really hard. Your wife has the patience of a saint! I don't know how she managed to put up with it all day!"

Bud just chuckled.

"Children have a tough time knowing how to respond to things that frighten them," he commented, "But just reassuring them can help a lot."

Suddenly, Harm burst in without even knocking.

"Mac!" he said, urgently, "That was Harriet on the phone. She couldn't get through to you."

"I was talking to a client…What's wrong? Is Calum okay?"

"She said to get there quick!" Harm told her, "The social services have showed up at her house."

"Would you like me to drive you, Ma'am?" Bud questioned.

Mac nodded then looked to Harm.

"You go with Bud," he told her, "I'll be along as soon as I can…I'll cover for you with the Admiral…"

So Mac grabbed her briefcase and cover and rushed out with Bud.

Harm gave a little knock on the door before resorting to using his spare key when she didn't answer. After leaving JAG headquarters, he had first gone to Bud and Harriet's, who had given him a brief rundown about what had happened. He then quickly made his way to Mac's apartment, where he knew she would be. She would probably value the privacy and solitude in which to lick her wounds. Quietly walking into her living room, he found her on the couch, silent and with a blank look on her face. Her face was now dry, but he could see the sticky residue of long-dried tears.

"I'm sorry I took so long," he apologised, softly, "I couldn't get away from the Admiral. He wanted me to file some paperwork before I left for the day…"

Mac just nodded.

"Are you okay?" Harm asked her, waiting to hear her answer before he sat down next to her.

She just shrugged.

"What happened?"

"They came and got him."

"Why didn't they let you know?"

"I'm not a blood relative or a legal guardian."

"That's bull! How did they know he was at Harriet's?"

"I had to inform them when I put him someplace other than their 'approved' daycare providers…Hell! Why did I do that? Why didn't I just lie, say my Mother was looking after him or something?"

"You know you couldn't have done that…It would have damaged your career if they had found out that you'd lied."

"But what about Calum? Harriet said that he got so upset…"

"She asked me to tell you how sorry she is."

"There was nothing she could have done. Apparently, they had gotten a court order forcing the daycare provider to relinquish him to them."

"Why the hell weren't we informed?" Harm asked angrily, more out of temper than towards Mac.

"They said it was an admin error," Mac sniffled, wiping her eyes, "Apparently David, Calum's social worker, has been reassigned to an office in another city and the person taking over from him isn't up to speed, yet."

Harm just snorted in disgust then focussed his attention back on Mac.

"You didn't exactly answer me before. Are you okay?"

"I honestly don't know," Mac sighed, "I knew this day was coming, but how do you prepare for something like that? His Mom must have been such a brave, amazing woman, to do what she did for him…I never expected it to happen like it did. I didn't even get to say goodbye."

Harm pulled Mac into his arms as her tears began to fall again.

"It's going to be okay, Mac," he soothed her, softly, holding her tight as her frame was wracked by sobs, "I'm here…"

"Calum," Gina Becker spoke up to the newest member of the family, "Why don't you come and join us? We're having fun over here…"

Calum just looked very unimpressed with the papier maché volcano that the whole family was helping build for 10-year-old Amy's science project. There were now four children in the house; Amy, Kevin aged seven and a-half, Tina aged six and Calum. The other children had all come to Gina and her husband Alan aged between three and five, but she couldn't remember any of them being so resistant as Calum. Of course, it would be months before anything became official, but unlike her previous times settling in a new child, Gina was starting to become distinctly uneasy.

"Mommy, why doesn't Calum want to play?" Tina asked her Mom.

"He's just taking some time to get used to being here, hon," Gina told her daughter, "It's always a little strange when you're somewhere new."

"He's a brat!" Amy expressed her professional opinion.

"And a baby," Kevin added, "He still wears baby diapers."

"No he's not!" Gina told her older children, sternly, "You guys remember what it was like when you first came here. It's a scary thing to be in a completely new home with people you don't know yet. Now, I want you all to start being a lot nicer to Calum and help him get settled in, you hear me?"

All three children looked contrite and uttered, "Yes, Mommy…"

From his place in the corner, Calum's resolve hardened even more. This wasn't his Mommy. This wasn't his home. His Mommy was at their home, all alone. But she wouldn't leave him here, she'd come and get him before long, just like she did everyday when she left him with Aunty Harriet. And he'd wait for her until she did.

"Mac?" Harm asked her, gently shaking her awake, "Dinner's here."

She had slept through the noise of the doorbell and Harm receiving their take-out from the delivery boy.

"I'm not hungry," Mac grumbled, putting her head back onto the arm of the couch.

"Okay," Harm nodded, "Ill put yours in the oven until you're ready for it."

Harriet was sitting on her son's bed, with both of the older boys in her arms.

"Mommy," Little AJ asked his mother, "Calum's not going to come to my birthday party, is he?"

"No, sweetie," she told him, gently, "Calum's gone to a new home."

"Does he have a new Mommy?"

"Yeah, sweetie."

" But Aunty Mac is Calum's Mommy…" Jimmy spoke up, looking puzzled.

"No, honey," Harriet told him, "Aunty Mac was just taking care of him for a little while."

"Will Calum be happy in his new home, Mommy?" AJ asked.

"Yeah," Harriet nodded. She wanted to say that, no, Calum wouldn't be happy without the woman whom he'd come to know as 'Mommy' until now and vice versa, but she also wanted to protect her children from getting hurt, "Probably."

"But what about Aunty Mac?" AJ read her thoughts.

"Uh," Harriet hesitated, "Well, she just wants Calum to be happy…"

"Calum?" Gina spoke up, with a hint of hesitancy in her voice, "Time to get ready for bed. C'mon, honey, let's get you into your pyjamas."

All of the other children were already settled for the night.

"No!" Calum adamantly refused, "Staying here. Mommy's coming…"

Gina frowned.

'Didn't Calum's social worker say that Calum's Mother had passed away?' she thought to herself.

With that, she picked up the phone and started looking for the social worker's number in the rollerdex.

"You calling Mommy?" Calum questioned, hopefully.

"Umm, I'm just calling my friend Pete, sweetheart. Remember him? He brought you over, earlier."

Calum remembered the nasty man who had taken him away from Aunty Harriet's. He was definitely in Calum's bad books!

"Call Mommy," Calum issued his demand with confidence, "Tell her come get me."

Gina just seemed to ignore him and Calum began to think of what he could do to get her attention…it would have to be big, if he really wanted to get to her, she was just as determined as Mommy was. A little smile played across his face as an idea came to him. Oh, this was going to be good! He hated these funny underpants that Gina had put on him, after his bath. They felt weird and they didn't have any fun designs on them like the ones Mommy put on him. He took a deep breath and launched his 'master plan!'

"Calum!" Gina's mouth fell open and she dropped the phone as she watched Calum deliberately wet himself.


	9. Chapter 9

From part 8…

"Call Mommy," Calum issued his demand with confidence, "Tell her come get me."

Gina just seemed to ignore him and Calum began to think of what he could do to get her attention…it would have to be big, if he really wanted to get to her, she was just as determined as Mommy was. A little smile played across his face as an idea came to him. Oh, this was going to be good! He hated these funny underpants that Gina had put on him, after his bath. They felt weird and they didn't have any fun designs on them like the ones Mommy put on him. He took a deep breath and launched his 'master plan!'

"Calum!" Gina's mouth fell open and she dropped the phone as she watched Calum deliberately wet himself.

Part 9…

"Harm?" Mac padded through to the kitchen. She found Harm sitting at the kitchen island with a soda.

"Hey," he greeted her, "You alright?"

"Not really," Mac replied, honestly, "But I figure that it's going to take some time."

Harm nodded in sympathy.

"Uh, Harm?" Mac suddenly realised where they were and asked, "What are you doing through here?"

The empty cartons of Chinese food were on the counter-top, as were the dirty plates. He must have eaten his dinner through here.

"Oh, um…" Harm lowered his gaze, obviously embarrassed, "I, uh…I just didn't want to disturb you…"

Despite how bad she was feeling, a smile came to Mac's face, which brightened with amusement.

"Aw, Harm," she broke into a full grin, "You didn't have to do that."

"Well," he dismissed, "It wasn't just that…I needed to keep an eye on your dinner, in the oven…"

Mac nodded as he rattled off excuses, obviously not believing him.

"…and I was going to put those in the dishwasher…"

He pointed to the stack of insignificant plates and cutlery.

"and I figured the very least I could do was put everything away, seeing as I used it…"

"Harmon Rabb," Mac smiled, "are you rambling?"

"No!" he protested, too quickly, then conceded, breaking into a grin himself, "Well, maybe…"

Mac just got lost in his eyes when he had that look in them.

"Is there anything else I can do?" he asked, the flush finally fading from his cheeks.

He got no answer from Mac.

"Mac!" he said, louder, snapping Mac out of her dream-world, "I said, 'is there anything else I can do?' Really, anything, just name it."

He wasn't expecting the answer that he got.

"Kiss me…"

His eyes widened, as did hers, when she realised what she had said.

"Oh, my God," her mouth fell open, "Did I just say that out-loud?"

Harm chuckled, which eased the embarrassment she was feeling, just a little.

"Yeah," he nodded, "Did you mean it?"

Mac looked at him and decided to go with honesty.

"Yeah," she nodded.

"Well," Harm pretended to ponder the request, "I guess I could do that…"

Before Mac had time to think about it, Harm put his arms around her waist and pulled her against him, lowering his head towards hers. He stopped when they were nose-to-nose and looked into her eyes. He saw no objection there. In fact, it was actually Mac who first closed her eyes and brought her lips against his.

"Where's Mommy?" Calum wondered to himself.

Why wasn't she here, yet? She'd never left him this long before…At least it didn't seem like it. This had been forever! He wanted to go home, now!

"You really must go to bed, now, Calum," Gina spoke up, "It's very late…"

"No!" Calum growled, pushing her out-stretched hands away from him.

"Calum sweetheart…" Gina searched for the words to explain to him, "Nobody's going to come…"

"Want my Mommy!"

"Calum, I'm your Mommy…"

"I WANT MY MOMMY!" Calum literally screamed at her.

Gina just gave a frazzled sigh, sat herself down on the sofa and dropped her head into her hands.

Harm watched Mac pace about the living room for the umpteenth time. He was actually starting to feel a little motion sick, just through watching her.

"Mac?" he asked her.

She didn't even pause, only continued to wring her hands in anxiety.

"Mac…You okay?"

"No," she replied.

"What can I do?"

"Nothing," she told him, "There isn't anything you can do."

"Sure there is…" Harm encouraged.

""No!" Mac insisted, irritated, "There's not. Can you somehow make me a fit parent? Teach me everything there is to know about raising a child? Raising them to be all that they can be?"

"Mac," Harm sighed, "Nobody knows that they're going to be a fit parent…"

"But they've got the basics in order, don't they? Food, money, medical care and insurance. How on earth would I support a child on a military wage?"

"People do it," Harm argued, "They make it work, somehow."

"Is that what is best for the child?" Mac demanded, "Why have a child if you know you won't be able to give them everything they need?"

"People think that they will," Harm pointed out, "but they still fall short. Do you really think that my parents anticipated that I might grow up without my father? There are some things you can't plan for."

"No," Mac objected, "but your father was there when he and your mother decided to have children, wasn't he? He was there on the day you were born. I'm a 36-year-old woman, on her own. I don't earn enough to comfortably support a child. I live in a one-room apartment, which is hardly child friendly…The list goes on."

"All of those are reasons why you think you can't raise a child," Harm told her, "What about the reasons why you can? You could bring so much into his life."

"I couldn't be a mother and a father to him, Harm," Mac tearfully brought up the fact she knew Harm could not deny, "He needs a father. He deserves that much."

She wasn't expecting his reply to this fact.

"Then I'll be his father…"

Mac just stared at him. Had he really just said that?

"Don't…" her eyes began to brim with tears, "Don't do this if you don't mean it…"

"I do mean it," Harm told her with sincerity, "I mean every word."

"Are you doing it for me or for him?" Mac asked.

"I'm doing this for me," Harm took her hand and brought it to rest on his chest, above his heart, "I want to be with you…"

Mac continued to stare at him, as if assessing whether he really did mean what he had said.

"I just want to be with you," he continued, "Calum doesn't have anything to do with it. He's a wonderful child and you're great with him. If you wanted him to join us, so that we could be a family, that would be icing on the cake. But it is your decision and I'll go with whatever you think is best. I just want to be with _you."_

As a tear trailed down her cheek, Harm reached out and tenderly wiped it away.

"It hurts me," he whispered, "to see you hurting like this…my heart belongs to you. It always has. I just want to see you happy."

His words explained so much about his action over the duration of their partnership. All he had ever wanted was her happiness, even if it wasn't with him. But Mac needed to hear the actual words, coming from his own lips, before she would truly believe.

"Please tell me again," she whispered, "Do you really mean it?"

"With all my heart," Harm replied, without hesitation, "I just want to be with you…Sarah, I love you."

More tears followed the last ones, tracking down Mac's cheeks.

"Please don't cry, Mac," Harm grimaced as if she were physically torturing him.

Mac just burst into a teary smile.

"These are happy tears!" she beamed, sniffling.

"I'm glad," he smiled back, "So what do you want to do?"

Mac paused for a second, leaned her head back slightly and really thought about what it

was that she wanted. The answer came to her easily and afterwards, she wondered why she had even needed to think about it. The answer had been there all along, she had just been denying it.

"Oh God, Harm," a look of horror suddenly spread across her face, "I said I'd never make him spend a day without me, letting him know how much I love him…"

"So…you do…want to…?" Harm asked, gently.

"Yeah," the tears flowed again, "Please, we have to go get him…We need to go get our baby."

"I'll give Harriet a call," Harm moved into action.

"Hi Harriet, it's Harm."

"Commander, how is the Colonel?"

"She's okay Harriet. I'm sorry about the late hour…"

"Oh, that's okay, Sir, really it is. Bud and I have only just managed to get the boys to sleep. I think they're a little worried about Calum."

"So are we, Harriet, so are we. Did the social worker give you any information about where they were taking him? Did you get a contact number or anything?"

"Um, no, Sir," Harriet told him, trying to think, "Pete, Calum's new social worker, said that he was going to a home just outside of DC…He gave me _his_ contact number though, Sir. The Colonel rushed off before I even thought to give it to her."

"Oh, that's great Harriet! Could you give that to me? Mac and I have to find out where Calum is."

"Are you wanting to check on him, Sir?"

"No, Harriet, we're going to go get him and bring him home…"

"Oh, Sir! That's wonderful! The best of luck, Sir!"

Gina Becker was surprised to hear her doorbell go at 11pm.

"Who could that be?" she asked her husband, Alan, who had recently arrived home from work.

He just gave her a quizzical look and they both headed for the front door.

"Pete?" Gina asked, "What are you doing here? Is there a problem?"

"Hi Gina, Alan, may I come in for a minute? I know it's late, but I'm afraid it's important."

Gina and Alan stepped aside to let Pete and the couple who were with him in.

"Gina, Alan," Pete introduced, "This is Colonel MacKenzie and Commander Rabb…"

"Sarah and Harm," the tall man moved to correct him, "Just call us Sarah and Harm."

She and Alan shook hands with them both. As Gina and Sarah did so, Gina looked into the attractive young woman's eyes and thought she might be able to guess why they were here tonight. The pain and suffering were very apparent in her eyes.

"You're here for Calum, Pete?" she asked the social worker, calmly.

"I'm sorry, Gina," Pete nodded, with real sincerity, "I really am, but Harm and Sarah have changed their minds…"

"Hang on a minute," Alan spoke up, not understanding, "I thought you said that Calum's mother was deceased."

"She is," Pete nodded, "But she placed Calum into the Colonel's care before she passed away. Sarah and Harm have been caring for Calum over the past few months."

"But they don't have any legal rights over Calum…" Alan argued.

"Alan, stop," Gina halted him, then turned to Mac, "I can see how much you miss him. He misses you too. He never would have settled here. He wants to be with you."

Before she got up, Mac reached out and took her hand.

"Thank you so much," she told her, gratefully, "You'll never know how much this means to us…"

"I'm a mother," Gina told her, "I understand."

With that, Gina disappeared upstairs to get Calum.


	10. Chapter 10

WARNING: THIS PART IS RATED M. DON'T SAY YOU WEREN'T WARNED…

See part 1 for disclaimer

From part 9…

"I'm sorry, Gina," Pete nodded, with real sincerity, "I really am, but Harm and Sarah have changed their minds…"

"Hang on a minute," Alan spoke up, not understanding, "I thought you said that Calum's mother was deceased."

"She is," Pete nodded, "But she placed Calum into the Colonel's care before she passed away. Sarah and Harm have been caring for Calum over the past few months."

"But they don't have any legal rights over Calum…" Alan argued.

"Alan, stop," Gina halted him, then turned to Mac, "I can see how much you miss him. He misses you too. He never would have settled here. He wants to be with you."

Before she got up, Mac reached out and took her hand.

"Thank you so much," she told her, gratefully, "You'll never know how much this means to us…"

"I'm a mother," Gina told her, "I understand."

With that, Gina disappeared upstairs to get Calum.

Part 10…

"I can't believe that he's really here with us," Mac whispered to Harm, both watching the child sleeping in the bed.

It was past one in the morning and they had been doing so for nearly an hour. Calum had been overjoyed to see them and had jabbered away to them in the car for most of the journey home, but had fallen asleep just a few minutes before they got there. Mac had gently lifted him from the car, carried him upstairs and put him into bed without waking him. Both Harm and Mac planned to call the Admiral in the morning to take some emergency leave over the next week, they wanted to spend as much time with Calum as possible.

"He's home and he's ours," Harm assured Mac, taking her hand in his own. At least he would be, legally, in a few months time. Pete could see nothing that would get in their way, the Beckers had agreed that they would not oppose Harm and Mac's petition.

"He's so perfect," Mac exclaimed in wonder, "I've never seen anything so beautiful in all my life."

Harm nodded then broke out into a beaming smile, looking to Mac, telling her, "Our son! It sounds great, doesn't it?"

Mac smiled back, nodding.

"So what do you want it to be?" Harm asked, "Calum MacKenzie or Calum Rabb?"

"Why not Calum MacKenzie-Rabb?" Mac suggested, "That way, he's a piece of both of us."

Harm smiled and nodded in approval.

Suddenly, he got off the bed where he had been sitting.

"This requires something to celebrate!" he decided, "I promise, Mac, I won't be long. I just need to go and get something…"

"Harm?" Mac asked, almost mystified, "What do you need to go and get?"

"It's a surprise," Harm told her, "I promise, I won't be long."

"What took so long?" Mac exclaimed with an indulgent smile.

"There were less places open than I anticipated, sorry," Harm apologised.

"You could have gotten all the way to your place and back in that time," Mac told him.

Harm just brought his hand from behind his back, to show the dark green bottle.

"Wine?" Mac looked confused, until Harm turned the bottle to reveal the label;

Non-alcoholic, sparkling grape juice.

"Re-hydrating blackcurrent or apple juice just didn't seem appropriate," he smiled and protested when Mac went to get up from the couch, "No, no, just you stay there. I'll go pour us a glass each…"

Mac settled back into the cushions, happy to go along with Harm's plan.

In a minute, Harm reappeared with a glass in each hand, filled with the sparkling liquid.

"There you go, Mommy!" Harm congratulated her, passing her a glass.

They both laughed with joy at how wonderful that sounded.

"Thank you, Daddy!" she replied, grinning.

In the dim light, she barely registered the glint from the bottom of the glass and she was too busy thinking about the bright future that lay ahead of them to pursue the matter any further.

Harm kept a surreptitious eye on her as she sipped from the glass.

"This is great, isn't it? He asked, grinning then went to turn on the stereo. He selected a soft, instrumental track, mindful of the little boy sleeping in the bedroom and so that the music would compliment the moment without overpowering it.

"Yeah,' Mac nodded, "It's wonderfu…"

Here, she froze, her eyes on the glass and Harm knew that she must have spotted the object in the bottom of it.

He moved over to her and got down on one knee.

"Harm?" Mac questioned, looking from the object in the wine glass to him.

"That's right," he told her softly, "That is what you think it is…"

He took the glass from her now gently shaking hand and drained it and taking the diamond solitaire ring out. He held it out to her.

"I've had this picked out for the longest time," he told her, "It's only ever been for you…I just needed the perfect time to give it to you. Now that Calum is home and we can start to build our life together, it seemed like it was that perfect time.

"Oh, Harm…" Mac exclaimed, softly, with wonder.

"How about it, Sarah?" Harm continued, "Will you become the next Sarah Rabb? Will you marry me?"

"Of course I will!" Mac smiled radiantly through the tears.

Harm pulled Mac to him and they shared a kiss that left fireworks exploding before their eyes. Mac felt a tingle all the way down to her toes and she knew without a doubt that there would never be anyone else for her.

"I love you so much, Sarah," Harm pledged to her, after pulling back and took her hand to slip the ring on her finger.

"I love you, too," Mac told him, her heart beating strong in her chest as she watched him, "I'm your woman, now, Harm."

"And I'm your man, Sarah," Harm replied.

And then, they both laughed at how corny it had sounded, but it was none-the-less true and heart-felt.

After that, they rose from the couch and Harm took Mac into his arms and they swayed to the music. Again and again, they shared increasingly intimate kisses, which left them tingling with excitement.

"Well," Harm joked, "when I've ever thought about sharing your bed, I've never pictured anyone else being there, too!"

Mac laughed and surmised, "I think we're going to have to get him a bed of his own."

"I think a bigger place would be a good investment," Harm amended.

"I hate to say this, but until we've got our own space sorted out, we're going to have to delay anything…" Mac commented.

Even as Mac was saying this, her fingers were stroking Harm's chest through his shirt.

"Hmmm…" Harm murmured from his place kissing down Mac's neck.

"Harm," Mac persisted, "What if he wakes up?"

"He won't," Harm told her.

"He might," Mac insisted, "Harm, we can't…"

Harm just sighed and pulled away.

"I'm sorry Harm…" Mac started, but Harm placed a gentle finger to her lips to hush her.

Then he got a curious look on his face; he had thought of something.

"I know it's hardly the height of romance, but doesn't your bathroom door have a lock on it, Mac?"

"Uh-huh," she replied.

It was the only one in the apartment that did, excepting the front door.

Mac's face broke into a flirtatious grin, which Harm couldn't help but mirror.

"Do you want to take a bubble-bath, Mr. Rabb?" she questioned.

"Only if you join me!" Harm smiled.

This time, it was Mac's turn to come up with an idea.

"I've got an idea!" she announced, "Just give me five minutes to get everything ready…"

Now, Harm watched indulgently as she disappeared into the bathroom. He sat down on the couch, listening as she ran the bath and made rustling noises. Finally, she reappeared in the doorway and Harm sat up with a start. With a glint in her eye, Mac crooked her finger, beckoning him to her. Harm didn't need telling twice! She took his hand and led him inside and Harm drew in a breath when he saw that the soft lighting was being provided by a dozen candles and tea lights, spaced around the bathroom. Mac had run a steaming, bubbly bath and the smell of roses hung in the air. It made him think of her, the first time they had met, in a rose garden.

"So much for this not being the height of romance!" he commented, softly then held his arms out to Mac, "C'mere, you!"

She gladly moved into his arms and when they tightened around her, she moulded her body to his.

Good God, this was good, Harm thought to himself as he and Mac kissed deeply. What an amazing day! He'd gained first a girlfriend, then a son and then made his girlfriend his fiancée! And now he and the love of his life were about to take it one step further.

Mac was thinking about the number of times she had imagined this moment, Harm's touch through her clothes, his lips on her skin, showing her how much he loved her, the words falling from his lips, mumbled in between frantic kisses. He poured every feeling into his touches as he peeled her clothes away slowly, layer by layer.

Once she was down to her bra and panties, she broke away from the supernatural hold he had over her.

"Uh-uh, sailor," she chided him, as his hands moved to the front clasp of her bra, "Your turn now."

He went to pull his polo shirt up and over his head, but Mac pulled his arms down again.

"I'll do it," she told him, "and it needs to be done slowly."

Harm lost the power of speech as she slowly ran her hands up from his abdomen, luxuriating in teasing the hard muscles she found there. She continued to tease them once he nodded in reply and he let out a deep groan.

"Geez, Mac…You're killing me here!"

After that, Mac moved onto somewhere else even more sensitive.

"See something you like, sailor?" she teased him with a flirtatious smile.

"You know I do," Harm'svoice grated out, "I've dreamed about this for so long," Harm got out, almost in a groan, "You look even better out of your marine uniform…"

"You look at me when I'm in uniform?" Mac asked him, chuckling.

Harm nodded andtold her, "Only you could make marine greens look sexy…"

Mac couldn't reply to this, as sheleaned her head back and her mouth went dry.

"Oh, Harm," she exclaimed, softly.

If she wasn't enjoying this so much, she'd ask him to tell her more about how he watched her at work, without her knowing. It turned her on to think that she grabbed his attention, without consciously doing anything, even in their strict, formal work surroundings. Sure, Mac was a strong, confident, independent woman, but she still thrilled in knowing she had Harm's approval!

"God, Sarah…" Harm got out,"You're so beautiful! I'm never going to get enough of you."

Where her head was thrown back, he eyes closed in ecstasy, Mac's face positively lit up at the compliment. Harm took one look at her radiance and decided to never stop showing her what a beautiful person she was, both inside and out. He would positively worship her, demonstrate his devotion to her for the rest of their lives.

"Why don't we take this to the tub, ninja-girl?" he suggested, pulling away froma second.

Mac gave a sigh of disappointment and Harm just chuckled.

"C'mon," he urged her, "I promise, there's more waiting…"

Harm took her hand, dropping a soft kiss on her lips before they both stepped into the bathtub.

However, Harm became concerned when her smile faltered then disappeared altogether.

"What's wrong?" he asked, gently but firmly.

"Nothing…" Mac shook her head, turning her face away from his.

"What's wrong?" Harm asked her again, this time more insistently, guiding her to look at him, his thumb against her chin, "You know you can tell me, whatever it is."

Mac sighed and eventually spoke up.

"We can never have a family of our own…" She whispered, the pain she was feeling very apparent in the tremor in her voice. She closed her eyes to try and keep the tears from forming.

"Never say never," Harm told her, "And at least we can have fun trying."

"And if it doesn't come to anything?"

"Then we'll take that step then, _if_ it happens."

"Won't your parents be disappointed?"

"No, Mom and Frank have already given up on me!"

They both broke into giggles at this.

"Besides," Harm maintained, once they had brought themselves back under control, "they'll both be thrilled with Calum, he's a great little boy."

"Our little boy," Mac pronounced, relishing the sound of it.

"Family has nothing to do with blood," Harm continued, "It's all about the love you have for one another."

He was cut off by Mac's mouth locking onto his.

"I love you, Harmon Rabb," she told him once they broke for air.

"I love you, Sarah Rabb," returned and pulled her back in for another one of those sweet kisses…which quickly escalated to more, much more...

Early the next morning, Mac was woken by the cherubic little voice of their son.

"Our son," she thought to herself, "That really does sound good."

"Mmm, Mommy!" Calum crooned, snuggling up to her.

"Good morning, baby," Mac greeted him, cuddling his baby-softness.

This really was a routine that she'd have no problems getting used to!

"Mommy, where's Daddy?" the little boy asked, looking up to her face, earnestly.

In reply, Harm leaned up from where he was lying behind Mac.

"Hey there, buddy!" he chuckled.

Calum hadn't noticed that he was even there.

"Daddy!" Calum exclaimed and launched his little body towards him, over his Mommy.

Harm and Mac laughed loudly, then Mac turned over and they enfolded Calum in their arms, between them.

"Let's take another nap," Harm suggested and the little boy cuddled in.

Harm and Mac both dropped kisses into his blond hair and cuddled around their new son.

And neither of them had any idea about the miracle occurring inside of Mac at that moment, the miracle who would be making her presence known in just a few weeks time…

Continued in 'Birthday Surprises.'


End file.
